


Give Me Your Hand and I’ll Hold It

by SassyLewis



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Age Play, Alternate Universe, Baby Niall, Baby Zayn, Crying, Daddy Louis, Diapers, Discipline, F/F, F/M, Infantilism, Lirry - Freeform, Little/Caregiver, M/M, Non-Sexual Age Play, One direction AU, Pacifiers, Single Parent Louis, Smut, Toys, Wetting, baby Gigi, bottles, diaper use, messing, nappies, tantrums, zarry - Freeform, ziall, ziam, zouis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-02-24 08:25:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 51,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13209822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SassyLewis/pseuds/SassyLewis
Summary: Assignment day has arrived. Teen parents are going to appear. The football team is officially in trouble because their star player has become a daddy! Watch as Liam battles a fussy baby, sports, schoolwork, and his love life in “Give me Your Hand and I’ll Hold It”





	1. The One Where Liam Becomes a Daddy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song for Chapter: Let Your Heart Hold Fast-Fort Atlantic

Assignment day is the most terrifying thing for and seventeen year old. The kids are thrown into the world of parent and baby without a choice. Daddies and mommies still are responsible for class work, and Little’s get sent to free daycare in the school. 

This is a lot more work for the caregivers than it is for the littles. Well of course it is. They become responsible of littles between the ages of a newborn and five years old. 

Nicola used to drone on when Liam was younger about bouncing a newborn and finishing midterm papers. It did not seem easy.

To say Liam was terrified would be an understatement. He didn’t want to be a seventeen year old father. He didn’t want to become someone’s baby. He wanted to be his mom’s baby. He wants to have no responsibilities. He wants to play football all fall and soccer all spring.

This is why him and his best friend Harry were skipping out on the testing. Tossing a football back and forth.

“Come on lads, can’t keep skipping out for long. It’s September 1st. You knew the day was going to come,” Higgins, their coach appeared with a smile before leading the boys up to the testing areas.

Or dragging up.

It was a bit of an eerie scene when walking up stairs. 

Lots of crying from the fifteen year olds who had needles stuck in their arms. Blood was sloshing around in small pacs beside them.

You see, fifteen year olds are tested if they are littles or generals. Kids would end up disappearing more often than not. Liam’s best friend Charlie was tested with Liam the same day, and the next day Lim returned as a general. Charlie however never came back.

The seventeen year olds are now being tested if they have graduated to dom, sub, or dom caregiver. If not they were free to continue on with no problems at all.

That’s why Liam and Harry were here now. 

Listening to all the screaming and crying of their younger classmates.

Blood being drawn was painful. But you could definitely tell between littles and generals. 

The generals tried to ignore the pain. They talked up a storm about absolutely nothing.

The littles on the other hand were either sobbing or listening to the nurses like their lives depended on it.

“Good luck my friend,” Harry shook Liam’s hand before sitting back into the chairs. 

“Pinkies up,” Liam chuckled as their fingers were pricked for a droplet of blood.

Liam’s blood was blue. Harry’s was red.

Harry smiled, and looked to Liam’s tray. Each of their faces paled.

“Congrats man,” Harry sympathesized. 

“You too,” Liam sighed.

He was going to be a dad.

Great.

That’s just great.

“I’ll see you at practice this afternoon , yeah,” Harry stood quickly. He thanked the nurse then headed out.

He was free!

Liam on the other hand ringed his mom. Told her the news. 

Liam was gonna be a dad.  
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
Zayn hands were tied. Literally. He had his hands tied to a chair.

That’s what you get for trying to pry the door open during mental little testing.

“I’m not a little. You’re wrong. I’m supposed to be a general. Then maybe a submissive in a couple of years, but I’m not a little,” he screamed at doctor Pratt.

“ I understand how stressful this is, Zayn, but you must continue on through the procedure or more blood will be drawn to determine your age and caregiver. Now I already have a hunch of your age, but let’s just look at some pictures, and you tell me what you like,” Zayn tried to escape a little bit longer before he decided to participate.

“Look at the puppy,” doctor Pratt held up a stuffed dog, and immediately Zayn stopped his fit.

“You can hold onto Blue while we answer these questions, Okay,” Doctor Pratt held up a set of cards.

“Now what do you see here,” Doctor Pratt held up a flash card with spotted black paint.

“A diaper,” Zayn’s brow furrowed.

“Very good, and this one?”

“A crib?”

“And this one,” doctor Pratt held up a final card.

“Says a word,” Zayn mumbles.

“What does the word end with?”

“O,” Zayn murmurs.

“Thank you. Now you are going to take a nap with the other littles before you meet your caregiver,” Zayn shouted as he was carried into the nursery. 

This was not how his day was supposed to go at all. 

This was going to be hell.  
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
“Pick up the pace, Payne,” Coach Higgins called during warmups. 

Liam was falling a bit behind during laps. But he couldn’t help it. His mind was fifty different places.

He had a chance with a newborn baby. 

A chance of a ten year old child.

He could be kicked off the team to take care of a kid.

This is supposed to be something he wants, but Liam doesn’t feel ready at all.

“Practice is over, Li,” Harry shook Liam out of his daze.

“Sorry, got distracted,” he apologizes.

“You meet the kid after practice, don’t ya,” Harry’s arm slings over Liam’s shoulder as they head off the field.

“I do,” Liam laminates dryly as he pulls off his pads.

“I’m always down to babysit when you need it,” Harry grins.

“Of course you are,” Liam pulls on his sweats before locking up his locker.

“You’re gonna be fine. I promise that it’s all gonna work out fine. The baby is going to love you. Come on payno. Daddy looks good on you,” Harry pat Liam’s back before walking out.

Liam was left for a few seconds before picking up his backpack, and heading to the consoulers office where his baby would be waiting.

He’s gonna have a baby.

Be a single teen dad.

Oh isn’t that just great.  
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
When Liam opens the door he comes face to face with his counselor. She’s swaying with an little blonde girl that has the prettiest eyes.

“She’s beautiful,” Liam coos. His heart hurts when she reaches for him. Quick to snuggle like her life depended on it.

“How old is she?”

“She’s one, and her daddy will be here any minute,” Liam’s face changes.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, Nick Grimshaw is a lucky daddy,” the counselor grinned.

A loud cry broke through the room.

“Who is that then,” Liam hummed sadly.

“That would be your baby,” the counselor smiled as Zayn was led out of the office holding hands with doctor Pratt.

“Couldn’t get this buddy to leave my side,” he grinned trying to pass Zayn’s hand off to Liam, but it didn’t work.

“Zayn, this is your new daddy,”doctor Pratt introduced. 

Liam crouched down waving gently.

“Hi, Zayn,” Liam tried, but Zayn was quick to start crying.

“He’s in denial,” the counselor appeared without the beautiful little blonde girl.

“Not a little,” Zayn whined pulling his hand from Doctor Pratt.

“You are a little. A little who needs a diaper change when he gets home,”Doctor Pratt pat Zayn’s butt.

Liam looked shocked.

“Here’s a diaper bag of some essentials, along with his files. Let doctor Pratt help carry out the car seat for you,” a black diaper bag is passed onto Liam’s shoulder.

“I think that I’m gonna be the one handling your baby to the car instead,” Pratt chuckled. He lifted The back facing car seat before following Liam out the door.

“So I heard the Miss Paltrow has already talked to your parents. Your room isn’t going to look the same as it did when you left this morning,” Doctor Pratt laughed slowing Zayn down from running.

“Well isn’t that going to be fun. Didn’t know I was going to be the star football captain one day, and a teen dad responsible for drippy noses and dirty diapers the next day,” Liam shuttered.

“You still plan on playing,” Pratt hummed when they arrived to the black Range Rover.

“Of course. I’ll just get my mom or dad to babysit,” Liam shrugs snapping in the car seat and base.

“Cause they’re going to give up all their Friday’s to take care their son’s baby,” Pratt’s brow was raised. He couldn’t see how Liam could treat his parents like personal slaves.

“I mean once the season is over it won’t be every Friday,” Liam shrugged.

“Good luck with that. Come on Zayn, up you go,” Pratt lifted Zayn under the armpits out to Liam.

“Front seat,” Zayn’s legs jiggled in the air trying to get out of Pratt’s grip.

“You need to ride in your car seat to be safe,” Pratt smiled giving Liam the dark haired boy.

“You know, maybe me having a baby isn’t a good idea,” Liam held the baby out to doctor Pratt.

“You’ll be fine,” Pratt chuckled before pushing Zayn back to his chest.

“Go with you,” Zayn cried.

“See, he’s crying. He wants you,” Liam smiled holding Zayn out again.

Pratt grabbed a pacifier from his pocket, and popped it into Zayn’s mouth. In an instant he was quiet.

“Problem solved,” Pratt smiled.

“He’s gonna cry if the pacifier drops though, or if he loses it,” Liam whines pushing Zayn back to Pratt.

“Payne, take the baby home. Change his diaper. Do your homework. Feed him dinner, and go find your balls. People want to be parents all the time. This is your time,” Pratt walked off back to the school.

Zayn’s legs kicked around in the air before he let out a long whine.

“Don’t cry, please don’t cry,” Liam lowers Zayn into car seat gently. His hands shake while fastening the buckles together. He tucks a white blanket around Zayn’s legs.

“Okay, we can do this right? Of course we can do this!”


	2. The One with An Itty Bitty Bond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song for the chapter: People Help the People- Birdy

Zayn cried the whole way home. He was terrified. This wasn’t supposed to be his life. He didn’t want to be a little.

He wanted to be a general.

He wanted to have a life.

Doctor Pratt had somehow convinced Zayn into peeing while they were playing with the blocks, but he didn’t want to do it doesn’t count!

“Shh, let me get my mom. She’s gonna change your diaper, and we’ll figure this out,” Liam lifted Zayn out of the chair, and took his hand to lead him up into the house.

“Who’s crying,” Karen Payne appeared before them.

“He needs his diaper changed. You got this,” Liam passed Zayn’s hand over to Karen.

“Like heck I do,” she corrected herself before swearing.

“What do you mean?”

“He’s your baby. Come on son. Let’s go learn how to change a diaper,” Karen passed Zayn’s hand over to Liam’s.

“Mom, I don’t need to learn this. I’m not going to be responsible for him much longer,” Liam groaned.

“Oh but you are. Come on Liam. Up the stairs to the nursery,” she motioned.

“Can’t I be retested or something? Obviously if I was a caregiver I wouldn’t be this against having a baby if I was meant to be a dad,” Liam and Zayn made it up to nursery. 

“Liam, no caregiver wants to be a caregiver immediately. At least not the single caregivers. This is your destiny. The tests are never wrong. Now come on, lift him up,” Karen was gentle, but firm. Liam was reciprocating it well.

He lifted Zayn onto the white changing mat.

“Now you just shimmy off his pants, and undo the diaper,” Karen instructed.

Zayn continued to cry miserably.

“He could probably benefit from a nap after this,” Karen soothed.

Liam slowly pulled apart the tabs on Zayn’s diaper before pulling it open.

“Now what?”

“Wipe his willy, balls, and bum with the wipes,” Liam cringed while Zayn tried to flip himself over.

“No, no, no, silly boy,” Karen rolled Zayn back. Liam went over Zayn’s genitals as quick as possible.

“Okay, seems clean enough. Now take a new diaper, and tape it up,” Zayn’s legs curled up to his chest. His ankles crossing.

“What a messer, you can’t cross your ankles,” Karen tickled Zayn’s tummy who whines in return.

“Oh, a fussy baby who needs a nap, I see,” she laughs.

Liam slips a Cookie Monster printed pamper under Zayn’s bum, and pulls his legs out to finally strap the diaper shut. 

Zayn was almost passed out by the time Liam finished.

“You go do your homework, and I’ll put him into the crib for his pre dinner nap,” Karen soothed, lifting the little boy from the changing table to her chest.

Liam didn’t need to be told twice before heading across the hall to his room. 

He kicked the bassinet over just as it came into view.

This is all stupid.  
••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
Liam awoke to the gentle voice of what appeared to be his mother from the monitor, and his “son” that was having an absolute fit.

He waited a few moments to see if his mother could calm him down, but after a quarter had gone by, he entered the nursery.

Zayn was yelling something about his parents and how the tests had messed up. 

Something Liam wished so badly to participate in.

But right now, Liam needed to be here for his little. He needed to nurture and control Zayn.

He was about to test out his caregiver skills.

“What’s going on in here,” Liam shouted a bit louder than anyone would have liked.

“We’re fine, Li,” his mother began.

“Mom, you can go back to dinner. I’ll handle him,” Liam was gentle with his mother. As she was letting him stay, and trying to help with taking care of Zayn.

“Get me out of this crib. I’m not a baby. Where is doctor Pratt? I want doctor Pratt,” Zayn screamed bashing his hands into the wooden bars of his crib. 

“Do you need your diaper changed,” Liam’s voice was calm. Too calm to feel comfortable. He was going through the motions of what was on the list of how to deal with an ignorant little.

By ignoring the fussing about it completely.

“No I don’t need a diaper change,” Zayn seethed.

“I need you to take me back! I’m not a baby,” Zayn screamed.

“Come to daddy,” Liam’s gaze was cold. It felt as if Zayn would freeze over just by a mere glance.

“Let me go home,” the raven haired boy pleaded.

“Let’s go to my room. I need to finish up some homework before dinner. Do you want a snack,” Liam hummed. His tone finally softening at the cry for home. 

“I want my mom. Please, Liam,” Zayn began to cry.

“I think we have some puffs,” Liam glided over to his room.

“Stop ignoring me,” Zayn’s fist pounded into Liam’s chest. 

That stopped Liam in his tracks.

Zayn hit him.

Zayn could feel the air around him get cold. 

He knew a scolding was about to happen.

“Zayn Javadd. I don’t know if you have noticed, but I’m not exactly one who is excited to be a father. I had a life planned out before you. I am doing my best to alter my life to take care of you. You may not think you are a little, but you are. You are my little, and my responsibility. I understand you miss your mom. You will see her tonight at the family meeting. If I could get us out of this I would, but I can’t. We are going to work together, and have a good time doing it. Now you will never ever hit me or anyone else again. My name is daddy and only daddy to you. Are we clear,” Liam’s rock hard voice was enough to crack Zayn. 

The boy’s water works turned on in an instant.

“Cry all you want. Play here while I finish my homework,” Liam lowered Zayn into an activity saucer before sitting himself down at the desk. 

He let Zayn cry freely for about ten minutes before shoving a pacifier past his lips.

At least he knows how to shut him up.

Not a baby his ass.

 

Liam continued on with his paper about Jacksonian democracy while Zayn presses the buttons on the little keyboard. Listening to the colors again and again.

In all honesty, Liam was going mad.

His eyes glanced around his desk before coming across that stupid stuffed lamb.

 

“Zayn, look at this,” Liam called. Zayn turned his seat back to see Liam.

“Here, play with lamby,” the name popped up randomly from his head. 

“Not a baby,” Zayn huffed taking the lamb. He held it to his chest quietly. 

Liam smirked before turning back to his paper.

It was only thirty seconds before he heard the annoying “yellow” sound from a stupid vocal keyboard.

“Do you want to sit with daddy,” Liam coos turning around to grab Zayn, but the little one wriggles further into his chair.

“Okay, you can sit there. Look at this. Look how the beads swirl,” Liam pressed down on an octopus toy that had beads swirl after pressing down.

Zayn ended up finding it more entertaining than the keyboard.

And luckily it was quiet.

“Show me my papers,” Zayn spoke up after a few seconds.

“What?”

“ I want to see my papers. I have a right. Read me my papers. I want to know what they said. I want to know who I am now,” Zayn demanded.

Liam’s hand grazed over Zayn’s folds before finding the one about classification.

“Are you sure?”

“If it could change where I am, or help me accept my fate, then yes I’m sure,” Zayn nodded holding his pacifier in his hand.

“You are Zayn Javadd Malik. You are recently fifteen years old, but will adapt to the mindset of an eighteen month old. You will be in diapers full time. You would work better with a daddy rather than a mommy. You have quite the temper, but are easily soothed,” Liam droned on. 

Zayn sink further into his seat as he heard his fate.

This was awful.

“What’s my final height then? After this is all done, where will I stop,” Zayn was terrified.

“You will end at two feet, nine inches,” Liam was calm while Zayn began a screaming tantrum.

Liam lifted the pacifier up to Zayn’s lips, and he was quiet.

This was a bit too easy to be real.

“Let’s go down, I think guests are here,” Liam lifted Zayn up from the activity saucer before taking his hand, and leading him down the stairs. The eye of his parents and the Malik parents appeared.

“Hey, dude,” Harry popped out of the kitchen with a turkey sandwich.

Liam couldn’t have expected for that routine to change much with a baby in the house. 

“Mom, dad,” Liam questioned annoyed.

“He wanted dinner. We have dinner. Come on, sit down at the table,” his mother smiled. 

“Really mom,” Liam groaned seeing Ansel, Ashton, and Calum come from the kitchen to sit at the table.

“Congrats, Payno,” Ashton grinned coming over to see Zayn. The raven haired boy clinging to Zayn’s leg.

“Everyone is always welcome, Liam. Now we have got chicken Marsala for dinner,” she smiled.

“Sounds great Mrs. P,” Ansel grinned loading up his plate, and sitting down with everyone else at the table.

“Who are you,” Ashton cooed peering around Liam’s legs.

“This is Zayn,” Liam tugged the boy forward.

“Hi Zayn, I play with your daddy on the football team,” Ashton’s hand went out, and he shook with Zayn.  
“Don’t you even dare Ashton. I already called favorite uncle,” Harry swooped in scooping Zayn up.

Zayn being so shocked began to wail.

“Good going,” Liam groaned before pulling Zayn into his arms, and beginning to bounce the wailing baby.

“You’re fine. Come on, let’s go get dinner,” Liam bounced into the dining room. He picked up a plate for Zayn with a few pieces of chicken marsala. 

“Liam, grab the Parmesan,” Calum called.

“I’ve got it,” Ansel threw the Parmesan bag across the kitchen to Calum.

“Styles, can you cut this,” Liam bends down picking up the plate before heading into the dining room, and dropping the plate of meat and vegetables in front of Harry.

“Course. I’ve got to get back my favorite uncle place somehow,” Liam chuckled while he swung open the tray of the highchair. 

“No no no,” Zayn screamed clinging to Liam. 

“Zayn Javadd,” Liam bit out quietly.

It was enough to get Zayn to comply, and sit in his highchair between Liam and Harry’s seats.

Liam fastened the straps over Zayn’s chest, and between his legs.

He slid the tray back in, and locked it down.

“For my lovely nephew, from his coolest uncle,” Harry placed the plate of chicken Marsala and steamed vegetables onto Zayn’s high chair. 

Zayn turned away to look at Liam.

That guy was scary.

“Don’t worry, Mister. We feel the same way,” Ashton smiled across the table.

“Got him a sippy of ice water,” Geoff dropped a sippy cup with blue handles onto the high chair tray.

“Normal cup,” Zayn whined turning to Liam.

“That’s your cup. Only Zayn’s cup. It’s special,” Liam tried.

“Don’t want,” he cried.

“I want that cup,” Harry whined reaching to take it, but Zayn held it to his chest.

“Li, I want a cup like that,” Harry pleaded. 

“Nope, only Zayn gets the cool cups,” Liam smirked on the inside.

Harry was a genius.

“Mine,” Zayn smiled taking a huge gulp.

Harry and Liam high fived behind the high chair.

“So I see you have guests over a lot,” Trisha observes.

“Well I used to have two daughters around all the time, so making tons of food was normal. Now I have the football players constantly popping up. We want everyone to always feel welcome. Of course with a baby in the house again, we won’t let just anyone come in, but still,” Karen smiled. 

She knew that Trisha was silently judging her. 

But she would be too if someone was about to take her baby away.

“They seem happy already,” Yazer smiles to Geoff. 

Liam was feeding pieces of cut up chicken by fork to Zayn. 

All the boys were laughing. 

Calum was pulling funny faces.

Ashton making little jokes.

Harry being Harry.

Everything was going great. 

Besides the fact that Liam was feeding Zayn dinner, nothing had really changed.

That was until Liam heard a grunt pass Zayn’s lips.

A big grunt.

“You okay,” Harry turned to check on Zayn.

The little one nodded.

This was his second nature. 

He knew exactly what he was doing in the moment. 

But when he finished, Zayn couldn’t stand himself.

“Come on everyone, to the living room for some scrabble,” Geoff called lovingly as the women began to pick up plates.

Harry went to lift Zayn, but the boy pushed his hands away.

“Zayn, no pushing,” Liam scolded gently, but he took Harry’s place. His fingers pulling apart the buckles before lifting him onto the floor. 

Lucky for Zayn( and Liam), Liam never noticed.

They held hands while making it into the living room.

Zayn was waddling more than normal as his poo pulled his diaper down more.

This was absolutely awful.

“Why don’t you play with the blocks,” Liam sat Zayn on the floor near the corner with his sippy.

Liam scooted himself to play with the adults.

The game got intense, but after everyone declared “vibey” wasn’t a word, Harry had gotten up to play with Zayn.

“What are you playing,” Harry crouched down stacking up some blocks.

“I’m making a tower,” Zayn smiled giving a block to Harry.

“Oh that’s fun,” Harry played along for a few seconds before taking a good sniff into the air.

He quickly pulled back Zayn’s pants for just a moment to see something he could have a laugh about with the other guys. 

Liam was screwed.

“Oh best friend, darling Liam,” Harry called in a sing songy voice.

“What Harold,” Liam deadpanned.

“Someone made you a present,” Zayn’s face flushed.

“What kind of present,” Liam’s brow furrowed.

“A present you find in Zayn’s diaper,” Harry smirked.

“Did he poop,” Liam was holding back a gag.

“Zayn, go see daddy,” Harry stood Zayn up. His diaper sagging when he stood.

“Mommy,” Zayn whined looking around.

His parents had escaped right before the game began. 

It hurt that they didn’t say goodbye.

But now it was just the Payne’s and the extra football players left. 

All here to see what Liam and Zayn were going to get into.

“Come over here, Zayn,” Liam’s hand waved him over. 

“No I’m clean,” Zayn smiled sitting down.

Liam being new took it as an answer.

Karen gave Liam a look as to say “are you dumb?”

“Zayn, daddy told you to come here,” Liam’s voice holds authority.

“I don’t need to though. Cause nothing is wrong,” Zayn shrugged sitting on the ground next to Harry.

“Liam,” Karen scolds her son before standing with Geoff.

“School night boys, we’ll walk you out,” she smiles taking the boys to the foyer. 

“Zayn Javadd. Did you poop in your diaper,” Liam’s voice was hard.

“No, of course not,” Zayn chuckled nervously.

“Zayn if you’re lying, then you’ll go straight to bed after I change you, and I’ll be keeping lamby along with paci in my room,” Zayn’s eyes basically rolled out of his head.

Those were just empty threats.

“One last time Zayn. Did you poop? If I have to go and pull back your diaper, both of those items will be gone till tomorrow afternoon,” Liam smirks when Zayn shifts nervously.

This was more fun than Liam thought.

Zayn mumbles something quietly.

“What?”

“Made a poopy, don’t want a change,” Zayn popped his pacifier in his mouth.

He gets to keep it.

Zayn gets to keep his pacifier and lamby.

“Thank you for telling me. You’re having your diaper changed though, come on,” Liam grabbed Zayn’s hand, but the raven haired boy anchored his feet to the ground.

“I’m happy to carry you,” Liam grinned cockily.

“Can’t do it,” Zayn began to sob. 

“Lamby,” the little one was terrified. His gut was in his stomach. He wanted nothing to do with this.

“I want Lamby,” Zayn screamed before falling to his bum. His feet kicking wildly.

Karen and Geoff stayed out on the porch to rock in the wooden rockers.

Liam’s got this.

This is just testing Liam’s abilities.

“Shh, Zayn we can go get Lamby together. Lamby is upstairs,” Liam crouched down with his hands open to accept Zayn.

“No no no. No upstairs. No diaper change,” Zayn sobbed.

“Woah, woah, woah. Drink your water, Zee,” the lovely pet name slipped past his lips without thought. 

Liam switched to sit on the ground. 

Zayn let out an ear shattering screech before crawling over to the corner. He was trying to fit as tight as possible.

“Zayn, can we cuddle? Can we have a cuddle for a little? Please, I really would really like that,” Liam was careful to avoid his assigned name.

“I wanna go home,” he wails shielding himself from Liam.

“Zayn, we are assigned to each other. This how society works. You are home. We are here to learn together. I don’t know what I’m doing either, but it’s gonna be okay as long as you trust me. Please Zayn, can we just go to my room? Lamby is in my room. We’ll lay with Lamby as long as you want,” Liam soothed. He held the sippy cup out as a peace offering.

Zayn sobbed for a bit longer before finally scooting forward, and latching onto Liam.

A bond was formed.

An itty bitty bond.


	3. The One With the Football Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter song: Rewind-Goldspot

After Thursday is Friday! Well obviously, but Friday during the fall for the star quarterback would always be an incredible day!

“Ahh,” the monitor crackled.

Everything except that part of a Friday.

“I’m coming, Zee,” Liam called slipping on his jersey.

“You’re up early,” Liam smiled turning on the light to the nursery.

Zayn was whimpering as he looked down upon his lamb.

Outside of his crib.

“Oh, so that’s why you’re awake. Not for extra cuddles,” Liam chuckles lifting up the stuffed lamb.

“Daddy,” Zayn’s lip wobbles.

“Yeah, yeah, come here,” Liam pulls Zayn over the bars. He pats Zayn’s back, then hands over the stuffed lamb.

“Lamby,” Zayn coos happily.

“Now why can’t you do that when you see daddy,”  
Liam tickles Zayn’s tummy.

“No,” the raven haired boy whines.

“So fussy,” Liam chuckles.

It took two days to fall into their respective roles.

Not completely of course, but in the morning they had nice moments. 

Like this one. 

“Liam, breakfast is ready,” his mother called up the steps.

“Coming,” Liam rushed down the stairs.

“Take Zayn, I need to pack his diaper bag and print my speech,” Liam handed Zayn over to Geoff before taking the stairs by two.

“Daddy,” he could hear Zayn cry.

Whenever Zayn was tired, he clung.

Liam made sure enough diapers were stuffed into the bag along with a pocket full of nipple shaped pacifiers. An extra sweater and change of clothes for when the day really begun for Zayn also got into the bag.

“Mom did you take out his puffs,” Liam strained as he put his paper into one of his binders, and rushed down the stairs with the baby bag over his shoulder.

“Liam, Zayn won’t eat for me,” Harry called.

“Stop showing up randomly to my house,” Liam laughed.

“You know you love it. I make this family whole. But Zayn’s tummy is going to be very empty if he doesn’t eat his yogurt,” Harry tickles Zayn’s tummy, and gets a tiny laugh.

“Try this Harold,” Liam takes a handful of Cheerios from the box to spread out on the tray, and presses a kiss to Zayn’s temple.

Zayn eats one before happily continuing on with the rest.

“Well sure if you want to take the easy way,” Harry shrugs as a cheerio is shoved in his mouth.

“Thank you,” he smiles kissing Niall’s palm.

“You’re going to be late boys,” Karen called as she handed over the diaper bag full of Zayn’s snacks.

“Come to Daddy,” Liam lifts Zayn out of his high chair before picking up his backpack to sling over his shoulder. 

“You’ve got Zayn after school, right,” Liam hums before going to kiss his mom goodbye.

“No, I have dinner with your father. I told you this,” she goes on.

“What am I supposed to do then?”

“Figure it out, Li. You’ve gotta be a parent and do what’s best for your son,” she shrugged.

“Come on Liam,” Harry shouted.

“Coming,” he huffs before making it out to the car. 

“Who do you know that would be willing to babysit on a Friday night,” Liam asked Harry while he was strapping Zayn into his car seat.

“I don’t know man, but I do know we are five minutes late to first hour,” Harry shrugged.

“Shit,” Liam finished snapping the eight point harness.

“Shit,” Zayn laughs playing with Lamby.

“Don’t say that,” Liam scolds before popping in the green soother.

“Your baby is cooler than you,” Harry grins.

“Shut it,” Liam climbs into the front seat to race off to school.  
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
“Zayn, I’ve got to go,” Liam soothed.

Liam shouldn’t have agreed to changing Zayn into his day clothes.

There was a reason he has never done it before this morning.

“Don’t worry about it Liam, he’ll be fine,” Mister Dornan helps pry Zayn away.

“I’ll see you later tonight, Zee. Right before bed, I promise,” Liam kisses Zayn’s temple before scurrying down the hall to first hour.

“You’re late, Mister Payne,” Mrs. Jolie doesn’t let Liam go unnoticed.

“I know. Zayn was fussing this morning,” Liam sits down next to Maz before pulling out his papers for class.

“Today the new parents will speak in front of the class on How raising children and being a high school student is not as easy as they thought,” Mrs. Jolie gave a light gaze to Liam do to his late appearance.

“You ready for the game tonight,” Andy peers over his desk to speak with Liam.

“Almost ready. I’ve got no one to watch Zayn for me,” Liam whispers back.

“Why don’t you ask one of the girls? They’re always swooning over you. I bet they would be very happy to take care of your baby,” Maz contributed.

“Like who,” Liam rolled his eyes.

“Like Dani over there. She’s great with kids, and not assigned,” Andy helps.

“The head cheerleader. Good idea,” Liam rolls his eyes.

“Why don’t you ask who is watching Niall for Lou then? Maybe they would be willing to keep an eye on Zayn too,” Harry whispers coming into the conversation.

“What, guys,” Louis leans over into the conversation.

“Which one of you will be explaining how rewarding fatherhood is then,” Mrs. Jolie turned everyone’s attention towards the boys in the back.

“You’ve got this, don’tcha Maz,” Louis pat Maz’s back.

“I would have to have a kid to “get it” Tomlinson,” Maz pushed Louis forward.

“Thank you for volunteering Mr. Tomlinson,” she smirked.

“Course, no problem. What are we talking about, then,” he sat down on the stool in front of the classroom.

“Seriously I need a babysitter, fast,” Liam groaned.

“I don’t know man. You’ll figure it out. When are you going to visit Zayn,” Harry hummed.

“During lunch. I’m gonna talk to Mr. Dornan or try to find Dr. Pratt,” Liam huffs.

“Good luck, man,” Andy grins.

“Boys, since this is such an interesting topic for all of you, I expect a two thousand word essay tomorrow on how wonderful parenthood is. Especially from you generals and regular doms,” she dropped a packet in front of them.

“What’s this,” Maz picked up the packet.

“Your rubric. Anything falling behind, then you have to start over. The paper is do Monday. Don’t talk during my class,” the boys all shake their heads annoyed before getting up to leave.

“Thanks guys,” Louis seethed.

“Shut up. You tried to volunteer me. Get over it,” Maz shook his head.

“Lou, who’s watching Niall for you tonight,” Liam slid in beside them.

“I’ve got Eleanor mate. She’s gonna take Niall to the game with her. It’s great having a pair,” Louis smiled.

“Tommo’s got a crush on his baby mama,” Stan nudged him coming over to the group.

“Do not,” he blushed.

“Course not,” they all chorused.

“Shut up,” he replied flatly.

“Anyways, I’ll ask her next hour. See ya later,” he slipped into his classroom.

“Problem solved,” Andy grinned following after Tomlinson.

“If only it was that easy,” Liam sighed.  
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“Daddy,” Zayn called happily seeing Liam enter the daycare center.

He was ready to go home now.

“What are you eating,” Liam smiled opening the gate to the lunch area of the daycare center.

“Cheese,” Zayn’s speech was muffled by another spoonful of Mac and cheese from Mr. Dornan.

“Do you mind if I take over,” Liam motions to Zayn.

“Course,” Mr. Dornan wipes his hands before standing from the chair, and allowing Liam to take his place.

“I’m ready,” Zayn wipes his face into the sleeve of his striped onesie.

Mr. Dornan and Zayn has quite the argument before the raven haired boy finally got into the clothes.

“Here comes the airplane,” Liam coos scooping up more Mac and cheese.

“I don’t want anymore. I’m ready to go now,” Zayn pushed at his high chair tray.

“Go where,” Liam hummed amused.

“Home. Back to our place. Let’s go,” Zayn’s hands felt around for the locks on the high chair.

“Zayn, I have school still. I just came to feed you lunch and put you to sleep,” Liam lifts Zayn’s hands away from the locks.

“But you didn’t come yesterday until we could leave,” Zayn whimpers.

“Yeah, but on Fridays I can choose to go eat with my friends or come to eat with you. So I chose you,” Liam explained gently.

“I wanna go home,” Zayn’s voice wobbles.

“Let’s just finish lunch. Look we’re the only ones left. Everyone went to the,” Liam never got to finish.

“I want to go home,” Zayn screeched.

“Stop that right now,” Liam bit.

Zayn curled back in his chair.

“I want to go home too. I want to get in my bed and forget all about this awful day, but I can’t. I have a game to play tonight. I have a son who is always at my throat that I need to get an education for, so I can provide for him. Don’t you dare shout at me when I am trying to take care of you. Don’t you dare act like being your dad is a walk in the park. It is far from that. Now eat your Mac and cheese,” Liam stopped him with a voice colder than Antarctica.

Zayn stared at Liam for a brief moment before bursting into sobs.

Liam glanced down at bowl on Zayn’s tray.

It was almost done anyways.

“It’s okay Zayn. Daddy should’ve explained a better way. Let’s wipe off your face and hands,” Liam tossed the tray of Mac and cheese into the trash can before grabbing a rag from the sink and wetting it down with warm water.

Liam was gentle while scraping cheese from off of Zayn’s face and neck. He pried apart sticky fingers to clean off.

Zayn didn’t stop sobbing once.

Liam felt like an ass.

Liam bent down and unbuckled the harness before lifting Zayn up to his chest.

“Where’s Lamby,” Liam hummed as his eyes darted around the room.

“No during lunch,” Zayn heaved out.

“Oh, they took her? That’s okay, daddy will find her,” Liam pulled off Zayn’s bib and straightened his onesie out.

“Mr. Dornan, where is his lamb,” Liam’s legs bounced while he waltzed towards the helper.

“Right here,” Mr. Dornan passed it over.

“Let’s go change your diaper,” Liam pat Zayn’s diaper, only to hear it squish.

Zayn sobbed all the way to the changing area.

He was very tired, and Liam had yelled at him.

He thought he was mad at Liam, but in reality he wasn’t.

He just really needed sleep.

“I know,” Liam hushed grabbing Zayn’s diaper bag off of one of the wall hooks.

He brought it over to a changing table, and laid Zayn down before putting his bag onto the ground.

“Shh, it’s gonna be okay,” Liam shimmied Zayn’s black leggings off, then put them to the side.

Zayn’s legs curled up to his chest.

“Look at Lamby,” Liam raises the corduroy lamb over Zayn’s head before bringing it down to pepper stuffed animal kisses.

“Payne, you have fifteen minutes left,” Mr. Dornan called.

“Thanks,” he smiled sadly before going back to Zayn.

He gently pulled apart the poppers at Zayn’s crotch.

“No,” Zayn cried crossing his legs.

“It’s okay. I’ll be really quick,” Liam pulled apart Zayn’s legs before finally tearing off the tabs.

Zayn cried as loud as possible while he was wiped down.

It was too cold.

He was too exposed.

“Stop,” Zayn cried trying to hide himself.

“Daddy’s trying to go fast. I just need to put cream on you,” Liam snuggled Lamby into Zayn’s arms. His fingers swirled over Zayn’s tummy.

Liam slipped a diaper under Zayn’s bum, and strapped up the tapes.

“All done, you’re all clean,” Liam hushed while pulling the onesie, and snapping together the crotch pieces. He pulled on the black leggings, then lifted Zayn up to his shoulder.

“Shh, Shh, shh,” Liam’s lips pressed to the shell of Zayn’s ear.

“Grumpy boy,” his knees bounced as he moved in a swaying motion. 

Liam grabbed a pacifier from the diaper bag, and popped it in Zayn’s mouth.

It took three more knee bounces before Zayn passed out.

When in doubt, pacis out.

“My mom will be coming by like usual to grab him,” Liam gently laid Zayn into a crib. 

Zayn wriggled around for a moment before settling.

“Text me if he needs me,” Liam presses a kiss to Zayn’s temple.

“I will. You have three minutes to get to class, Liam. Good luck at the game, I’ll be bringing my little ones to cheer you on,” Mr. Dornan smiled.

“Thank you, and thank you for looking out for him,” Liam exited the room then hurried to fourth hour.  
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
“Good news Liam,” Louis called sprinting into the classroom.

“Tomlinson,” Mr. Wahlberg shouted.

“Sorry sir,” Louis sat down beside Liam.

“Eleanor said yes,” he grinned.

“That’s great, now I don’t have to find a sitter,” Liam exclaimed.

“What are you talking about,” he looked at Liam like he was stupid.

“The game tonight. Watching my baby. What are you talking about,” Liam’s brow furrowed.

“Eleanor said yes to a date tomorrow night,” Louis’ shit eating smirk grew.

“You two live in the same house,” Liam spaced out the words trying to get through to the idiot that was Louis Tomlinson.

“Oh shut up and be happy for me,” Louis whined.

“What about my sitter sitch?”

“Yeah, she’ll watch him,”Louis shrugs.

“Tell her a million times, thank you,” Liam praised.

“Speaking of Zayn, how’s it going with you two,” Louis scribbles down the formula onto his page.

“Terrible. One moment he’ll be cuddling with me then the next we’re at each other’s throats. He’s got this idea that he has control of something. He hates mornings, so for the time that I've had him he’s been crying. We have great moments where we are so happy, but other times I just want to hand him off and walk away. Have you ever tried to change a diaper with someone screaming in your ear? Make a bottle up while bouncing a fussing baby at three in the morning? I’m so tired,” Liam’s head bobs side to side before falling flat into his physics book.

“Mr. Payne,” Mr. Wahlberg pulls Liam up by his shirt so his head is off of his desk.

“Sorry sir,” Liam slouches in his chair.

“You know what you need? A Mister Harry Styles. Have him and the other knit wits come and watch Zayn while you sleep on Saturday,” Louis suggests.

“No, I need to bond with him more. We’ll be fine. I’m just a bit sleep deprived,” Liam huffs before going back to taking his notes.

“Suit yourself, dude,” Louis continued scribbling down what was on the whiteboard.  
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
Once school finished, the team made their way down to the field.

Along with the cheerleaders.

And the school spirit leaders.

Everyone was pumped for the game tonight.

It was against Southsound.

Northview’s rival.

There team was totally gonna kick some butt.

“Out on the field ladies,” Coach Higgins shouted coming into the locker room.

“Move it,” his fist banged the locker.

“What’s his problem,” Louis chuckled.

“It’s Southsound. The only reason I’m not shouting is because I haven’t seen their ugly jerseys yet,” Andy bit.

“Anyways, what happened to Zayn,” Harry sits down on the bench in front of Liam.

“Lou’s girl has him. She’s at the game, so I’ll just take him right after,” Liam shrugged.

“El and I were gonna take Niall out with the team. You should come,” Louis offered sitting next to Harry.

Before Liam could respond, Higgins was shouting at them once again.

“I’ll think about it,” Liam answered.  
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
When half time approached, the boys were close. Two to three was where they stood.

“Louis, Liam,” Eleanor called. 

Each of the boys smiled looking over to her.

“How you liking the game so far,” Louis and Lim pulled themselves up over the bars.

“It’s scaring the crap out of me! Why aren’t you heading back to talk with the team on a better strategy,” she bites her lip nervously.

“Cause we’re the ones ahead. Fine we’ll be back,” Louis chuckles as Eleanor gives him a pointed look.

“Where were you two,” Higgins shouts as they enter the huddle.

“Babies,” both boys mumbled before getting into the huddle.

“Alright the game is close, so here’s the plan to finish it up,” Higgins began on a quick plan that got them what they wanted done in seconds.

“Alright now let’s break some necks,” Higgins shouted before pounding all the boys helmets, and sending them to the field.

With one minute left, Southsound was winning by six points.

“We’re all counting on you Styles,” the crowd shouted looking to their kicker.

“All Northview needs is a touchdown to clean the game up. The clock is at forty seconds,” the anticipation in the announcer's voice is eerie.

The crowd is silent.

The time seems like slow motion as Harry kicks, and the football flies into the touchdown zone.

The crowd is screaming in joy as they rush onto the field.

“Harry, Harry, Harry,” they chant.

This game couldn’t have gone any better.

“Come on Liam, babies,” Louis smiled.

“Coming,” he bangs on Harry’s helmet for good measure before rushing over to the sidelines.

“Daddy,” Zayn smiles waddling over to Liam.

“Hi, pretty boy,” Liam throws Zayn into the air before spinning him around.

“Good job,” Zayn snuggles into Liam’s sweaty shoulders.

“Thank you, baby. Thank you,” Liam grins.

“Stinky,” Zayn’s nose wrinkles.

Liam peppered kisses across Zayn’s face while he tried to wiggle away.

“Where are we heading for dinner,” Liam hums stopping his kisses to hold Zayn on his hip.

“B dubs,” Louis grins.

“Alright, here you go,” Liam and Louis go to hand back their boys to Eleanor.

“Oh no. Both of the boys need changing, here you go. They’re the same size,” Eleanor smirks.

“El’nor,” Zayn whined embarrassed.

“If only you were inside, Payne,” she chuckles before walking off.

“Smell check,” each of the boys hold up their kids for the other one to quickly smell their bums.

“Just pee,” Louis sighs in relief.

“It’s like a bomb exploded in his pants,” Liam sighs as Zayn starts to cry.

“Why are you crying?I’m the one on changing duty,” Liam chuckles patting Zayn’s back lovingly.

“Seriously guys, no babies in the locker room,” Ansel comes up and covers Zayn’s eyes as Harry does to Niall.

“Oh shut up,” Liam laughs wriggling them off.

“Hold him,” Liam passes Zayn off to a shocked Andy, who holds Zayn at arms length.

“Can you hold him properly, or should I give him to Harry,” Liam’s eyebrow quirked.

“He smells vile,” Andy’s nose wrinkled.

“Oh hush,” Liam shakes his head before getting dressed into his sweats.

“Come here, Zaynie,” Liam coos taking the raven haired boy back.

Liam laid Zayn down on the bench, and that’s when Zayn knew it was all over.

He started wailing.

“It’s okay,” Harry sat where Zayn’s head was laid.

“You hate this, hm? What’s wrong with a diaper change,” Maz talked crowding around with the other five boys.

Maybe it’s the fact he’s got the whole football team watching him have his bits changed.

“Guys think of something to soothe him,” Liam groans finally getting Zayn’s pants off after all the kicking.

“I’ve got it,” Ashton shouts before sitting down next to Harry.

“Lean on me, when you’re not strong I’ll be your friend,” Ashton starts.

“Guys this isn’t a sing a-.”

“I’ll help you carry on,” the rest of the football team continues on.

Zayn is still whimpering, but quiet enough to listen. 

“You just call on me brother when you need a hand,” Harry takes Zayn’s hands, and makes them clap along.

Zayn looks to the side to see Niall and his daddy singing along happily.

“We all need somebody to lean on,” Liam joins in laughing.

“I just might have a problem that you’ll understand,” the team and Liam choruses.

Zayn was being rediapered by now.

“We all need somebody to,” the team stops in anticipation.

“Lean on,” Zayn whispers out.

“Yay,” everyone cheers as Calum throws Zayn into the air only to sit the partially dressed baby on his hip.

“Haz, put some pants on him please,” Liam goes to pack up the baby bag, and pull on a shirt.

“All done. Baby ready for the taking,” Liam swoops in to steal Zayn. He peppers kisses across Zayn’s face and tummy once again, and gets big laughs in return.

“Let’s go eat,” they cheer.  
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
“Is he okay,” Danielle looked pained as she watched Zayn whimper.

“He’s just ready to sleep,” Liam sighed lifting Zayn from the high chair to his chest.

“I think I’m gonna head out,” Liam’s hand pats over Zayn’s bum.

“Here’s paci,” Liam nudges it past Zayn’s lips until the little one takes it, and tries to sleep.

He feels the button bob against his neck in small sucks.

Only ten seconds, and Zayn was out.

These pacifiers were lifesavers.

“Are you sure,” Sophia’s fingers ran over Zayn’s back.

“Yeah, Lou already went cause of Niall. I think it’s about time to retire to bed. Hopefully he’ll give me luck, and let me sleep,” Liam grabs the diaper bag from the chair beside him, and stands with Zayn held tight to his chest.

Outside, Liam tossed the diaper bag into the passenger seat before getting Zayn into his car seat.

Zayn blinked open tiredly trying to latch onto Liam, but the man quickly switched his shirt for the stuffed lamb.

“Go to sleep, sweetheart,” Liam buckled together the harness before shutting the door to his rover.

And on the way home he played lullabies over the stereo.

Maybe this parent thing isn’t going to be as bad as he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who’s ready for some Zion bonding next chapter? Cause I know I am! Got any ideas? Leave them below please!


	4. The One With The Diaper Rash

Liam awoke refreshed from his slumber. Looking towards the clock, he could see it was well past ten. 

His night surprisingly consisted of absolutely no crying. They got home from dinner, Liam changed a sleepy diaper, pat Zayn’s bottom to the baby’s content while nursing a bottle of similac( because enfamil didn’t meet Zayn’s standards for nighttime bottles), and popped a pacifier in his mouth. The night light went on and Liam snuck out.

The whole idea of ten hours of uninterrupted sleep was exciting at first. But now it’s worrying. 

Zayn was a nighttime diaper change baby.

Zayn was an extra bottle at two o’clock in the morning baby. 

Hell, Zayn was a skin to skin need daddy as close as possible baby.

He should’ve woken him up.

His parents are out until late tonight.

This doesn’t feel right at all.

He breathes for a moment before sprinting from his bed to the nursery.

Thank the heavens Zayn was still asleep. His legs tucked under his tummy.

Pacifier bobbing against his nose in noisy sucks.

His hair an absolute mess.

The curtains were still closed, and the night light glowed brightly.

Liam exited the room as quietly as possible before going to the bathroom.

He cleaned himself up and then set the tub up for Zayn before bed.

That’s gonna be fun to try out.

With everything clean and ready, Liam patterned back to the nursery.

“Zaynie, time to wake up,” Liam coos as he pulls open the blinds.

That obviously did not settle well with Zayn, as he began to sob once the light flooded the room.

He sat up in his crib with a mess of hair crying grumpily towards Liam.

“Well, good morning sunshine,” Liam smiles warmly.

Of course he knows Zayn is probably planning a way to punish him for waking him up from such a well needed sleep, but maybe his tone could talk him out of it.

 

“I think we need to change your diaper, then daddy can have his coffee while you eat breakfast. What do you think,” Liam combs his fingers through Zayn’s messy hair.

Zayn shook his head to the sides violently.

No, he did not want his diaper to be changed. 

Sure it was cold.

And made his smell not so nice.

But Liam isn’t allowed to see his bits.

The screaming and crying wasn’t working for him to begin with. This denying the change thing though.

That just might work.

“Come here, babe,” Liam lifts Zayn from the crib, and presses a kiss to his cheek.

Okay new plan.

Crying can work. So can kicking. Screaming? Sounds fantastic!

Liam cuddled the sobbing Zayn for a few minutes before laying the boy down on his changing pad.

Let the tantrum begin.

“Daddy, no,” Zayn pleaded fastening onto Liam’s shirt with his tanned digits.

“Baby, baby, baby,” Liam cooed kissing Zayn’s knuckles.

“No no no,” Zayn screeched kicking his feet to emphasize his point.

“Zayn, you smell. You’re gonna get a rash. This has to happen,” Liam sighed hoping he could reason with the boy.

“No, no, mine,” Zayn screamed.

Obviously, that was not going to work for Liam.

Liam buckled the strap across Zayn’s belly before skidding to the crib, and grabbing Lamby.

“Hiya, Zaynie. Let’s clean your pee pee diaper up, and cuddle. Daddy said he’d do it so we can cuddle,” Liam talked in the most high pitched voice he could manage.

He didn’t know that his voice could go that high.

“No change,” Zayn cried to the lamb.

“Please,” Liam used the voice.

“Lamby,” Zayn reached out, and Liam easily gave him his lamb. 

That seemed to do just the trick. He had Zayn cleaned up within a few seconds, and kept the baby without his sleeper due to laziness.

“Paci,” Zayn hummed completely forgetting his tantrum.

“You don’t need it right now,” Liam made his way to the kitchen holding onto Zayn’s hand.

“You sit up here, yeah,” Liam lifted Zayn into a bouncer on the table. His fingers working to strap the belt across his pelvis.

“Daddy,” Zayn whined as Lamby was passed into his hands.

“Yes,” Liam questioned turning towards the coffee maker to pour a cup before leaning against the counter to take a sip.

“Out,” Zayn pulled on the belt.

“I’ve got to get breakfast ready .You can sit,” Liam placed his mug down by the bouncer before heading to the fridge to sift around for something to suffice their hunger.

Zayn huffed trying to wiggle out before looking to his left where the coffee mug sat. 

It smelled pretty good. Bet it tasted warm too. 

The steam rose from the cup.

His fingers went to take a dip.

“Zayn Javadd, no,” Liam rushed grabbing Zayn’s hand. That could have went really bad.

“That’s really hot,” Liam soothed the whimpering baby.

“Daddy,” Zayn’s lip wobbled.

“I’m sorry for shouting. You could’ve gotten really hurt,” Liam unbuckles the belt, and lifts Zayn up to his chest. He pulled out the baby’s hand to examine.

“You’re okay,” Liam pressed his lips to Zayn’s fingertips.

“Paci,” Zayn snuggled his head into Liam’s shoulder.

“Yeah, you can have paci,” Liam sighed fishing one from a drawer to pop in Zayn’s lips.

“I need to watch you more,” Liam murmured holding Zayn closer to his chest.

He rummaged through the fridge for a few moments before coming across a strawberry and banana purée. 

Basically it was a smoothie.

“I think I found a jackpot,” Liam smirked.

Zayn liked to be difficult. Especially for breakfast.

But this seemed like it could do it.

“Okay, in ya go sunshine. Let’s turn this morning around, alright,” Liam’s thumbs dragged tears from beneath Zayn’s eyes, and pressed a kiss to his temple.

“Daddy,” Zayn’s arms struggled to not be buckled in.

“Oh I know,” he sympathized trying to console the boy without lifting him up.

Liam grabbed a bowl from the cupboard, and filled it with the purée. He topped it with a little bit of granola for extra effect.

“Look at what daddy has. Does daddy have something yummy for his, Zaynie,” Liam fastened a white velcro bib around Zayn’s neck.

All the while Zayn fussed around in his seat. He pulled at the straps, and banged on the tray for added effects.

“You’re really gonna like this,” Liam sat down with a dish rag tossed over his shoulder and the bowl of strawberry banana purée in front of him.

“Okay, let’s just try this,” Liam finger tugged out the pacifier by its ring, and placed it on the island.

“Here we go,” Liam took in a small breath taking a glance at the boy leaning back into the padding of his highchair with a determined look to defeat his teenage father.

Liam sighed, then swirled around the mash before lifting it Zayn’s mouth.

Zayn was not for it.

His head twisted to the side. He screamed in anger.

“Hey, it’s not that bad. Just try a little bit,” he pressed lifting it to Zayn’s mouth.

Only to have the purée spit back at him onto his shirt.

“Well thank you for that,” Liam sighed putting the bowl down for a moment.

Until he had a brilliant idea. 

Something his mom uses whenever Zayn won’t even consider Liam as a capable food source.

“Here comes the airplane,” he cooed. The raven haired boy’s mouth opened, and when the spoon arrived, it clamped shut.

He took it all in, and it was seeping down from the corners of his mouth.

A little smile played on the naked baby’s lips.

“Oh is that good? Is Zaynie happy,” Liam smiled. 

He can’t believe Zayn likes more than cereal or his mom’s food.

He should’ve tried this instead of going through with all the tantrums.

“Good boy,” Liam cheered dragging the mash from the corners of his lips back onto the rubber spoon, and into Zayn’s awaiting mouth.

“Mow,” he cooed leaning forward.

“Yeah? Did daddy do alright,” Liam smiled leaning forward expecting a peck, but getting inhaled in an open mouth kiss.

“Oh thank you, baby,” he laughed wiping off his mouth then spooning up more mash.

“I think another plane is coming,” Liam’s lips buzzed as the mash “flew” into the giggling Zayn’s mouth.

This was such a smart idea.

Liam continued to feed Zayn until the little one had turned his head to the side and found the food was no longer up to par for him. 

He was ready to get out and play.

So Liam needed to hurry up with the cleaning.

“Now,” Zayn whined pulling at his buckles.

“Be polite, and sit,” Liam scolded gently while pulling off Zayn’s bib, and wiping off his sticky mouth(and hands because let’s face it, Zayn just had to touch it).

“Out,” Zayn shouted, but Liam just shoved a pacifier in his mouth, and he was quiet.

“We should go outside,” Liam slid the tray to the side, and pulled apart the harness before placing his son on the ground.

Zayn was happy to toddle off without his father.

“Zee,” Liam called after the little boy who was preparing to climb the stairs.

“Daddy,” he grinned, muffled by his pacifier.

“Hi, Mister. Where would you be going,” he hummed. 

“Up,” Zayn’s hand went to pull him forward.

“No, you don’t go upstairs unless daddy takes you there,” Liam grabs Zayn from the armpits, and drops him into the activity saucer.

Zayn didn’t even have a second to think. He looked down, then realizing where he had ended up.

Zayn sobs brokenly towards his father.

“I’m not letting you climb the stairs, Zayn Javadd,” Liam pulls away the pacifier.

Zayn starts crying even worse.

But Liam has a plan

He flicks through until coming across bubble guppies. Turns Zayn towards the television. 

“Look, who’s that,” Liam crouches down pressing a kiss to Zayn’s temple, and popping in his pacifier.

Problem solved.

Zayn leans back watching his show while bobbing his pacifier.

There has been a lot of tantrums, and those pacifiers seem to always be a life saver.

“How’s your diaper feeling,” Liam sits on the couch with his phone ready to search through.

“Keen,” he mumbles barely glancing away from the show. Even though he’s completely lying.

He peed while he was eating.

Liam’s never going to change his diaper. Never ever ever.

“Okay,” he leans back getting cozy in the couch.

If only Liam’s mother was here to smack some sense into him.

Zayn on the other hand was looking towards the stairs. Where he had planned on going without Liam.

Where his lamb happened to be sitting.

He wanted to go upstairs.

He wanted to go upstairs, alone.

He glanced at Liam once more then down to the wheels on his activity saucer.

Oh what a silly idea for Liam to keep those things attached.

Slowly, Zayn began to scoot across the living room.

Unknowing of Liam watching him.

The teen kept a light grin on his features.

At least the little one had a plane. 

Quietly, Liam stood from the couch to trail behind his boy.

Zayn was surprised how fast he made it to the stairs, and even found it amazing when he could grab his lamb.

The only thing that did shock him was Liam. 

 

“I thought I said no stairs,” Liam piped up, scaring the crap out of Zayn.

The little boy jumped in his skin before starting to cry.

“Okay, cry all because you got caught,” Liam laughed, dragging the activity saucer back to the living room.

At least Zayn had his lamb.

Now he could be mad at Liam very easily.

He didn’t need Liam.

“Why don’t we call Harry and go downtown? Would that be alright with you,” Liam hums even though he is already pulling out his phone.

Zayn sobs turning his body away from Liam.

“You need a moment,” Liam’s hands comb through Zayn’s dark locks.

This boy was going to need a haircut soon.

Liam dialed Harry up, and within minutes, the curly green eyed monster had arrived.

With a treat for Zayn.

He did not want to sit through that crying on his way downtown.

“He’s having a right fun time isn’t he,” Harry chuckled seeing Zayn bang on his tray and strain his lungs with irritated wails.

“Oh you betcha,” Liam sighs.

“What was it this time,” Harry leads Liam away to the kitchen.

“He wanted to climb the stairs and I told him no,” Liam smiles looking around the corner. 

Zayn was still going at it.

“Uncle Harry will fix it,” Harry’s hands shift around in his pocket before grabbing out a cookie.

“Oh no, Harry he’s not having that. I do not need him to get a sugar rush,” Liam stole the cookie from his hands.

“It’s not that bad Liam. What’s your plan,” Harry looked I’m amused while Liam’s brain scrambled for a plan.

“Just gonna let him cry it out,” Liam shrugged.

“I’m not listening to that,” Harry glided over to the pantry and grabbed a cylinder of sweet potato puffs.

Liam watched from behind as Harry made his way over to Zayn.

“Hey, kid,” Harry shakes the bottle, momentarily stopping Zayn’s cries.

But then he realizes that it’s just Harry, and with how often that man is around, he is going to let himself cry.

“Shh, look what I’ve got. Are these your favorite,” Harry tries to engage the boy in conversation to break the rounds of tears.

Zayn looked once again. Those were his favorite treat! Daddy gave him them whenever he had to watch practice with the coach.

Which may have only been twice, but still they were special puffs! Ones he couldn’t usually have.

His hands reached out for the container.

“Is it alright if we share,” Harry sat down on the ground next to the saucer. He poured a few in his hand.

Zayn sniffled, but the wailing was gone.

He wanted his treat.

“Here,” Harry held his hand out, and Zayn observed Harry for a moment before deeming the offer true, and took one into his hand to go straight to his mouth.

They still tasted as good as before!

He reached for another one, but Harry’s hand jerked back.

Zayn whined.

He couldn’t do that.

“You done crying,” Harry questions with his eyebrows raised.

Zayn nods, so Harry’s palm opens, and he is allowed more puffs.

“Are those yummy,” Liam comes from around the corner, and sits by Harry.

Zayn nods happily. He even goes as far to push a piece of puff against Liam’s lips.

“Oh thank you,” he laughed accepting.

“What about Uncle Harry, huh,” the curly haired man complained.

“No,” Zayn giggled.

“What do you mean no,” Harry’s hands farted out to tickle the boy’s bare belly.

He giggled humorously.

“How about now,” Harry tried, but the little one shook his head.

“No,” Zayn grinned, and once again Harry’s hands darted out to give a little tickle to the little one’s belly.

“I thought you were supposed to know how to share,” Harry leaned forward, and almost choked as his hand with puffs was shoved to his mouth.

“Thank you,” Harry’s lips pursed as he ate the bland tasting snack.

“Do you want a few more,” Liam poured a couple in his hand and allowed Zayn to pick at them.

“Do you think it’s the best idea to take him downtown if he’s been fussing,” Harry questions while watching Zayn eat each puff one by one.

“I mean, we could stay in, but we need to run to the grocery store which is downtown. We can just nab the stroller, and head out. Get some coffee from the cafe across the street of the grocery store. He should last,” Liam pecked Zayn’s cheek.

“Then do you want me to grab him some clothes,” Harry chuckled looking at the bouncing naked boy.

“Yeah, just grab a onesie and some joggers,” Liam shoos the boy up the stairs.

“Mow,” Zayn pats Liam’s chest for his attention.

“We’re going to go shopping with uncle Harry,” Liam puts the bottle over on the coffee table as Harry comes downstairs.

“Wasn’t sure if he needed a change, so I grabbed a diaper and some wipes as well,” Harry lifted Zayn from the saucer to stand in front of him.

“Wanna do it,” Zayn held his hands out for the clothes.

“You can do it, but I think we should first change your diaper,” Liam pat the boy’s soggy bum.

“Don’t need,” he argued taking the diaper from Harry, and placing it over in the other corner before returning back to the boys.

“Zayn Javadd, bring daddy back the diaper,” Liam motioned the boy back to grab the diaper he dropped off in the corner.

“All keen,” Zayn huffed as he waddled to grab the clean diaper, his wet one hanging between his legs.

“Zayn, Daddy is just going to start checking your diaper instead of asking because you won’t be honest with him,” Liam scolds while forcing the boy to lay on the ground.

“Don’t need a change,” Zayn’s legs kick away.

Liam hooks Zayn’s ankles together with a fist before unstrapping the diaper.

The cold air rushed to Zayn, and made him very uncomfortable.

He squirmed around, fighting with Liam’s hands until he stopped.

Liam looked on appreciative while continuing.

What he wasn’t expecting was a little spurt to end up on his shirt.

Thank God for Harry.

The curly teen was fast to cover Zayn with a dish rag from the coffee table.

“Harry, finish him up, yeah,” Liam cringed while heading up the stairs.

“You got your old man,” Harry laughed pulling away the dishrag when he knew Zayn was finished.

“Uh oh, I think you’ve got a bit of a rash,” Harry looked on at Zayn’s bright red bum nervously.

“You’re gonna be okay,” Harry strapped the diaper between Zayn’s legs before wrapping up the wet one with the dishrag and wipes.

This is what happens when you leave a dom to change a diaper. 

(The only reason it wasn’t too pathetic is because Harry is a developmental caregiver dom that will change through interactions.  
Oh yeah, this stuff is gonna get good.)

“Can you put this over your head,” Harry handed the white short sleeved onesie with a cartoon dinosaur on the front in the proper way, so Zayn won’t fail and be mad.

Zayn happily manages to pull the onesie over his head.

“Nice,” Harry comments while snapping together the poppers at the crotch.

“Can you do your pants or do you need help,” Harry held out the black joggers.

“I do,” Zayn smiled, and Harry laid out the joggers so all the boy had to do was step into them and pull them up.

Zayn managed to put his feet in the proper place, but had to hold onto Harry’s shoulders, and let the teen drag his pants up his legs.

“Teamwork,” Harry holds out his hands for two high fives.

Which of course he receives.

“We ready to go,” Liam calls coming down the stairs with Zayn’s diaper bag

“You ready,” Harry questions, and when Zayn nods, he gives a little tummy tickle.

“Grab his adidas from the stoop, and I’ll go toss these in the car,” Liam heads out to the garage while Harry carries Zayn around on his hip.

The curly haired teen grabs the shoes from the stoop, and places Zayn onto the kitchen island.

“Here we go, buddy,” Harry takes Zayn’s foot and pushes the boy’s feet into the shoes before lacing them up.

“Let’s go,” he swings the raven haired boy onto his hip, then heads out to the car.

“Do you know how to strap him in,” Liam questions as Harry opens the door of the car.

“Yeah,” Harry lays Zayn down in the car seat, and fixes the harness nice and tight before clicking together the pieces, and pushing in his pacifier.

“Lamby,” Zayn whines looking around.

“Shoot,” Liam pops from the drivers seat, and darts into the house.

That could’ve been bad.

“What should we do when we get home,” Harry questions, carding his fingers through Zayn’s hair.

“Cookies,” Zayn pulls Harry’s hand down to hold.

“We can make cookies,” Harry gets a glare from Liam who returns with the green soother and his lamb.

“Okay, We’re ready,” Liam pops in Zayn’s pacifier, and hands him his lamb.

“Let’s go,” Liam pushes Harry along to the other side of the car.  
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
Liam pulls apart Zayn’s harness while the boy snuggles his lamb.

“You got the bag,” Liam’s hands fit under Zayn’s armpits, and he swings the boy on to his hip.

“Right here,” Harry comes around the car to see Liam straightening Zayn’s shirt.

“Alright, just a few things then some coffee, and its back home,” Liam kisses Zayn’s cheek as they head into the store.

“If you say so,” Harry shrugs with a smile.

The group walks into the grocery store, and Harry grabs a cart, and drops the diaper bag down into it.

“You wanna sit or walk,” Liam questions, Zayn shifts till he is set down, and then he grabs his dad’s hand.

“What should we get first,” Harry questioned Zayn.

“Cookie,” he grinned.

“Okay,” Harry grins up at Liam’s harsh stare.

“Let’s go grab some then,” Harry tugs the two along down the aisles.

“Pick out the ones you want,” Harry motions to the cookie dough sitting in the case.

Zayn looked around before coming across some sugar cookie dough in a tin. Those would work for   
sure!

He handed them up to Harry.

“Good choice,” Harry takes the tin, and puts it in the cart.

“We should grab some fruit, vegetables, and a few snacks,” Liam tugs the cart along with Zayn’s hand tight in his grip.

“No need,” Zayn argued trying to pull Liam back, but Harry just swooped in and placed the boy on his hip.

“Shh,” Harry pushed Zayn’s pacifier in a little to make sure it didn’t fall, then he sat him in the cart.

“What fruits do you like Zayn,” Liam hummed when they made their way over to the produce section.

Zayn however was becoming fussy.

His nap time was just about to hit.

“Berry,” he whined; his hands tightening to the front of Harry’s shirt.

“Okay, the red or the blue,” Liam held out each carton of fruit.

“Red,” he mumbled as Harry carded his fingers through Zayn’s dark locks.

“Okay,” Liam smiled watching his little one give up.

“Li, why don’t we head back after this,” Harry subsided while apples were being placed into the bags.

“I guess we’re going to have to,” he sighs watching how Zayn’s eyes blink slowly.

“Alright, grab that stuff, and we’ll head out,” Harry lifted Zayn from the cart to rest on his shoulder, and allowed Liam to push along.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
When the boys arrived home from the store, they were quick to get Zayn inside without waking him. 

The little one clung to Liam with his head tilted to the side.

Lucky for them he was dry, so the movement would be a smoothe transfer from chest to crib, or so Liam thought.

As he tried to lay the baby down into his crib, cries erupted from Zayn’s lips.

“Oh shh,” Liam soothed bouncing his knees as Zayn’s fingers dug into his bicep.

“It’s okay, shh,” his lips pressed to Zayn’s temple while the little one fussed. His head whipping side to side before settling back onto his daddy’s shoulder, and finally snuggling down to sleep. 

“He not letting go,” Harry hummed amused as he came into the nursery with the stuffed lamb.

“Afraid not,” Liam whispered settling himself into the rocking chair.

“I’m gonna take a nap in your bed. Care to join me with the little one,” Harry asked.

“Sounds bliss,” Liam shifted forward cupping Zayn’s head before following Harry over to his bedroom.

Harry got into the covers first, and then Liam was soon to follow.

His hand fell to cup Zayn’s bum while the little boy slept in peace. His pacifier bobbing against his nose in tiny sucks.

“How are you holding up,” Harry’s hand falls to rub Zayn’s back.

“This is hard. I mean he’s great, but he I can’t barely sleep through the night, and the one time he did I almost had a heart attack,” Liam smiles tracing circles into Zayn’s palms.

“Can I tell you something? Like something I haven’t even told my mom?”

“Go for it,” Liam’s brow furrows.

This could go in two ways.

“I, well I have a caregiver streak in my blood. So if I meet someone with a baby, and potentially fall in love, I fall into my role as caregiver and my blood goes blue,” Harry whispers afraid.

“That’s not so bad H. It gives you time to grow. You can meet someone now or when you’re thirty. Don’t worry about it. Zayn seems to approve of you already,” Liam smiles softly towards his best friend.

“Liam, I’m scared,” Harry chokes out.

“It’s not that bad. Harry you were meant to be affiliated with littles. It was so surprising when you weren’t immediate, but I think it was just a sign that you need that emotional support as well,” Liam grabbed Harry’s hand to hold. He wanted to stop the shaking.

“Get some sleep man. It’s not going to be as scary when you find that person,” Liam’s hand loosens and his hand returns over Zayn’s bum to pat.

“Yeah,” Harry sighs.  
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
When Liam wakes up his baby is no longer on his chest. But neither is his best friend.

He breathes for a minute before finally trekking down the stairs.

There he sees something that could make anyone smile.

“Where’s Zaynie,” Harry hums as a blanket is held up between the two.

“There he is,” Harry gasps pulling the blanket down.

“Haz,” Zayn giggles gripping the man’s shirt.

“Hi, baby,” he grins kissing Zayn’s knuckles.

It was a beautiful music being drawn the Liam’s ears.

Those were his boys.

“What’s so funny,” Harry cooed as he pulled a funny face. Zayn was practically rolling.

“Well hello,” Liam smiled revealing himself.

“Can you say, hello daddy,” Harry directed lifting Zayn onto his hip.

“Daddy,” Zayn grinned reaching forward.

“Hello sunshine,” Liam kissed his temple.

“Why didn’t you wake me?”

“You said you were tired,” Harry grinned sheepishly.

“Well thank you,” he smiled gratefully.

“Now What should we do?”

“Cookies,” Zayn mumbled around his pacifier.

“Okay,” Liam bounced the boy on his hip into the kitchen.

“You can grab the dough from the fridge,” Liam places Zayn onto the floor while Harry grabs the cookie sheet.

Zayn opens the fridge but stands their for a moment with a concentrated look falling over his features.

It was that time of the day.

He pushed on the pressure in his bum, and his diaper filled out.

Then it was back to grabbing what daddy had asked for.

“Thank you,” Liam smiled ruffling Zayn’s locks. 

The boys stood around the counter with Zayn propped on a stepping stool.

It took a few seconds before Harry could smell anything.

“Zayn, do you need a diaper change,” Harry hummed looking over to the boy who was placing cookie dough onto the sheet.

“No,” he shook his head.

“You sure, I think you pooped,” that drew Liam’s attention.

“You two can continue with the cookies, I’m gonna go grab something,” Liam tried to slink off, but Zayn caught his hand.

Zayn was very well aware that Liam was going to return with a diaper and some wipes.

That just wasn’t going to be allowed to happen though.

“No, togetha,” Zayn mumbles around his pacifier trying to open the cookie dough container.

“It will be, Daddy just needs something,” Liam explained gently while prying Zayn’s fingers from his wrist.

“No,” Zayn whimpered clinging to Liam’s shirt.

“Look Zee, can you roll this into a ball,” Harry grabbed a piece of dough, and handed it over to Zayn.

“Daddy too,” Zayn insisted pulling Liam closer.

“Daddy needs to grab the sprinkles,” Harry substituted.

He knew that Zayn knew, and he was gonna change what the boy thought.

“Okay,” Zayn smiled letting go. Liam kissed his cheek and sent Harry a grateful smile before darting off.

Liam rushed up the stairs, and snagged a pamper with baby Elmo and Cookie Monster on the front strip. A pack of wipes also slipping into his hands.

When he appeared in the kitchen, both of the boys smiled. That was until Zayn realized that there was no sprinkles, and instead what he predicated.

A diaper and a pack of wipes.

“No,” Zayn screeched before beginning to wail.

He didn’t want his diaper changed!

They we just getting started!

“It only takes a few seconds, buddy,” Harry tried while the boy stepped off his stool to stomp his little feet.

This was not how it was supposed to go when making cookies.

“I’m sorry, but you pooped Zayn. Daddy has to change you,” Liam sat on the ground of the kitchen floor patting a spot for Zayn to lay down.

“No,” he wailed looking towards Harry for help. Harry was his buddy. He would get daddy to not do it.

“It’s so quick, little man. We can get this done, and then it’s right back to the cookies. Look, what diaper did daddy get,” Harry sat himself down against the cabinets.

“Zayn look, Cookie Monster,” Harry pulled Zayn towards him and nibbles on the crying boy’s neck while mimicking the famous cartoon voice.

Zayn couldn’t help it when he giggled and squirmed.

“Cookie,” Harry shouted out in the voice while pressing kisses against the Now giggling Zayn’s cheeks.

Liam was so grateful for his best friend.

Harry managed to lay the boy down while talking in silly voices.

Liam could get the poppers undone without any problems.

It was when the tabs tore off the diaper that Zayn pushed away Harry and began to cry again.

“You’re gonna have such a clean bum,” Liam tried while scraping the mess off into his dirty diaper with the wipes.

“And a red bum, Harry,” Liam’s eyes widened. 

Zayn was crying out from the pain of being wiped over his redness where a few papules were hiding.

“Let me see,” Harry sighed knowing that his knowledge on children and how they work is much broader than Liam’s.

“Okay, he’s just got a moderate diaper rash,” Harry examined.

“Daddy,” Zayn wailed trying to get Harry away from his bottom.

Harry didn’t need to look there.

“I’ll get some sudocrem,” Harry dashed up the stairs while Zayn sobbed reaching for his daddy.

This hurt like crazy!

Zayn stood and walked forward to cling to Liam for some form of comfort.

“Is it so sore,” Liam cooed pressing a kiss to Zayn’s shoulder while the little one cried on his.

“Daddy,” he wailed.

“I know sunshine, I know,” he cooed.

“I’ve got some cream,” Harry pops in on the father son moment of comfort.

“Should daddy put on the cream or uncle Harry,” Liam whispered loud enough for Harry to hear.

“Daddy,” he sobbed in pain.

“Okay, can you give Uncle Harry a big hug while daddy does,” Liam shifted Zayn over to Harry’s open arms then proceed with a generous amount of diaper rash cream onto his bottom.

Zayn sobbed all the while, but Harry cooed and sang, so it wasn’t too bad.

“So good!”

Liam strapped on the clean diaper then pulled together the crotch of the onesie.

“All done, high five,” Harry and Liam both receiving high fives from the sniffling boy.

“Okay, now it’s the cookies,” Liam smiled.  
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••  
Liam doesn’t know why Harry had suggested spaghetti.

That is like the staple food for messy babies.

Liam knew that he was giving Zayn his first bath tonight, but it almost looks like he might need a power washer instead.

Zayn didn’t seem to mind one bit though.

His bib was once white, and now it was orange. Along with his hands, cheeks, and somehow his hair.

He had insisted on feeding himself.

Harry being himself took pictures.

“”Was that good,” Harry cooed laughing as Zayn nodded.

“Bath then bottle then bed,” Liam dropped in as he wiped off Zayn’s hands with a wet paper towel.

The boy wriggled his fingers back.

“Stop being silly,” Liam tickled his tummy to get a giggle.

“Okay, come here spaghetti Monster,” Liam pulled apart the straps before lifting Zayn onto his hip.

“Cookie,” Zayn requested looking towards the Tupperware container. 

He was told after dinner by Harry who really underestimated how much he could remember when watching a show.

“You can have one at lunch tomorrow,” Liam answered.

Zayn whimpered reaching for it.

“You’re not gonna cry over a cookie, Zayn Javadd,” Liam scolded lightly while heading up the stairs with Harry in tow.

They entered the bathroom together, and Harry worked with the water while Liam got him undressed.

“Naked spaghetti baby ready for his bath,” Liam lowered Zayn into the tub of bubbles and letters.

“Does that feel nice,” Harry hummed while using a cup to pour down Zayn’s body.

The little one cooed in appreciation.

“Daddy,” Zayn grinned pulling his daddy forward for a chaste kiss.

“Thank you, sunshine,” he smiled taking the cup from Harry and tilting Zayn’s head back to wash.

“Can you find the Z for Zayn,” Harry hummed looking at all the letters spilled in the tub.

Zayn nodded happily as he went on a hunt.

“Z,” he cheered holding it up.

“Good job, you’re so smart,” Harry praised while Liam began to lather up Zayn’s dark locks in a baby shampoo. 

Zayn leaned back enjoying the feeling of his hair being washed.

“Does that feel so nice,” Liam hummed while digging his fingers in a little deeper.

Zayn hummed our appreciation as he let his eyes close.

“Uncle Harry is gonna rinse you baby,” Liam hands a cup to Harry, and allows the curly teen to pour water through the locks to scrub them out.

Liam finished up by washing Zayn’s body( being very gentle with the rash).

“Okay come here,” Liam lifted Zayn into a fluffy white towel.

“Harry can you get a bottle ready,” the curly haired green eyed boy nodded before waltzing off.

“You smell so good,” Liam kissed the sleepy boy’s cheek.

He laid him down on the changing table as softly as possible.

Gently the towel was rubbed over his now pink and flushed skin, then a little through his hair to make it stick up in wild ways.

Zayn’s legs stretched along with his toes while Liam rubbed in a generous amount of lilac scented baby lotion along with some sudocrem.

“Oi, give me a second,” Liam chuckled as Zayn tried to escape the diaper that was being strapped on.

“Are you getting sleepy,” he hummed tapping Zayn’s plump pink lips that were slowly being coated in drool.

Zayn nodded reaching for his daddy.

“One second, let’s get you into a sleeper,” Liam pressed a quick kiss to the outstretched knuckles.

He pulled on a white sleeper that was covered in green, orange, and teal elephants.

“Bottle is ready for Mister Payne,” Harry smiled coming into the nursery.

“Come here, sweetheart,” Liam lifted Zayn to lay in the crook of his arm as he moved to sit in the rocking chair.

“Here we go,” he murmured taking the bottle from Harry, and pressing it into Zayn’s awaiting mouth. 

The little one tightened his hand on his daddy’s shirt; blinking tiredly as he guzzled down his bottle. Little suckles being heard.

“I’ll see you tomorrow you two,” Harry bent down and kissed Zayn’s forehead before heading off.

Zayn’s legs wriggled.

“Shh,” Liam began patting his bum.

“I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day, and it’s cold outside whenever you’re away,” Liam sung beneath his breath, but loud enough for Zayn to hear.

Zayn settled once again as his daddy continued to sing.

With a quick burp it was into the crib.

“Daddy,” Zayn stood from his lying position.

“Yes, handsome,” Liam flicked the fairy lights over the changing table, and switched the light off before coming over with his pacifier.

“Love you,” he nuzzled into Liam’s neck.

Liam may just have held his boy a little tighter then he ever has.

“I love you so very much, sunshine,” Liam whispered.

“Can daddy have a kiss,” Liam lowered himself just a bit more with puckered lips.

What he didn’t expect was for Zayn to go completely open mouthed.

Liam laughed lightly.

“Goodnight, sunshine,” Liam laid the boy on his back before pressing his pacifier past the little ones lips, and bringing Lamby into his arms.

With another quick forehead kiss, Liam exits the nursery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry it’s taking me so long to update! School is honestly a pain, but hey you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do! I plan on updating my other books very soon! Please tell me any suggestions and what you thought about this chapter because I love the responses! Lots of love Xx


	5. The One With Feelings

Liam hated this day, and Zayn hated it to. Separation anxiety had never been a worry of the new teen father, and the little raven haired boy had never thought attachment was going to apply this much in the father son relationship.

It was never understood how severe his attachment had become over the weekend.

They realized it Monday morning. Zayn woke up early that day. Three o’clock in the morning to be exact.

He was very wet. Liam was the first to know.

Wails erupted over the monitor. Liam shifted around in his bed for a few moments before sighing and standing from his bed to head into the nursery.

“Hey, daddy’s here, beta. You’re okay,”Liam muttered tiredly as he trudged towards the crib with a sleepy gaze. He bent down to press a kiss to his temple while giving a snuggly hug.

“What do you need? What can daddy do,” Liam hums carding his fingers through Zayn’s locks.

“Diaper,” Zayn sobs into his father’s neck with Lamby hanging close in his hands.

“Okay,” Liam lifts Zayn into his arms, and transfers him to the changing table. He is very gentle while cleaning the boy, and buttoning up his sleeper. It was when Liam went to lay the boy back down in his crib that the two boys noticed something different.

Zayn started to cry once his back hit the mattress. His fingers attempted to dig into Liam’s biceps.

Zayn was utterly confused by his response, and Liam was as well, but the daddy just lifted his boy from the crib to his chest.

“Are you hungry,” Liam hummed kissing Zayn’s temple. The little one was happy to whine and wriggle in his dad’s arms.

“Shh,” Liam hushed patting the little one’s back before laying him down on his back in his arms. Zayn remained impatient as he knuckled at his eyes in breathy whimpers. 

“We’re gonna get you a bottle. Come on snuggles,” Liam consoled pressing a pacifier past Zayn’s lips to keep him quiet while moving to the kitchen. 

“It’s coming big guy,” Liam hushed placing Zayn into a bouncer on the table before going into the fridge to dig out a bottle. The longer the bottle took to be prepared as the water boiled in the pot, the harder Zayn’s wails became. He ended up pushing out his pacifier do to how irritated he had become.

“It’s okay,” Liam mumbled pushing Zayn’s pacifier into his mouth, but it was rejected.

“Please Zayn,” Liam pleaded tiredly as he tried once again, but the little one screamed until the pacifier was moved away.

“Okay, it’s okay, Daddy’s sorry,” Liam murmured lifting Zayn up to his chest. Liam’s knees bounced while patting his baby’s back.

“I think it’s ready, sunshine,” Liam hushed the wailing boy as he removed the bottle and tested it on his wrist. It felt just right.

“Okay, here, shh,” Liam adjusted him before sneaking the bottle past his plump pink lips. Zayn nursing away hungrily. Zayn’s eyes remained locked with Liam, and his hand tries to attach to Liam’s bare chest.

“Come on, back to my bed till morning,” Liam mumbles out while carting Zayn into his room.

Liam only had four hours before school. This sleep thing was essential.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

It only proved more difficult as Liam and Zayn began to get ready in the morning. The little one woke up right with his father, and made sure to follow him all the way to the bathroom. 

Liam didn’t let him in at the first moment because he needed to use the bathroom, and to say that didn’t settle well with Zayn would be an understatement. The little one fell to the floor and screamed until the door was opened, and Liam had picked him up.

“Shh, shh,” Liam hushed patting the sobbing boy’s bum.

“Look at Lamby. Can you give her a snuggle,” he pressed it into Zayn’s arms till the boy cuddled into the plush animal.

“Are we done? Can our day start now,” Liam pads away the tears underneath Zayn’s eyes before carting him back to the nursery. 

“Hmph,” Zayn whines snuggling into his father’s shoulder.

“Always got an opinion,” Liam smiled kissing Zayn’s cheek.

Liam flicked on the switch in the nursery before setting Zayn down in his crib.

“Daddy,” Zayn choked out.

“Are you ready for a change,” Liam hummed as he went through the closet packing up Zayn’s diaper bag.

“Daddy,” he sobbed trying to pull himself over the crib bars.

“Alright munchkin, come here,” Liam sighed lifting Zayn to his hip, and then transferring him to the changing table. 

“What’s the matter,” Liam lays his boy down onto the changing table.

“Hold,” Zayn tries to tug Liam down with him by the shirt.

“You need a change, beta,” Liam shakes his head sadly while cleaning Zayn up gently before zipping back up his sleeper.

“Good morning,” Harry grins coming up the stairs. Liam wishes he could say he hated an early morning visit from Harry everyday, but honestly that morning addict was perfect for the baby.

“Look who it is,” Liam lifts Zayn from the changing table, and presses a pacifier past his lips. 

“Daddy,” Zayn’s fingers dig into Liam and Lamby.

“Hey, those aren’t tears I see,” Harry pouts swooping in to steal Zayn. Immediately the little one begins to wail reaching back for Liam.

“I thought you loved uncle Harry,” he coos dabbing away at Zayn’s tears.

“Da,” Liam took Zayn’s knuckles, and pressed a kiss to them.

“I’ll be right back, sunshine,” Liam sends them off to assure that Zayn didn’t have time to cling.

Liam finished packing up the diaper bag then ran across the hall to get dressed. As he made his way down stairs, Harry and Zayn were in mid battle. His mother watching on amusedly instead of helping the curly bloke feed the tantruming little boy.

Zayn twisted and turned every time egg was brought to his lips. Harry continued to attempt different noises and imagine things that could amuse Zayn, but his devotion was fruitless. It was when Liam came into view that Harry became the losing player.

“Daddy,” he shouted jerking his head away from the forkful of eggs. 

“Come on little man, it’s so yummy,” Harry tried working the fork past his lips, but Zayn was quick to spit it out. Liam was quick to reprimand him in a somewhat harsher tone.

“Zayn Javadd, eat now,” Liam scolds while he prepares himself a bowl of cereal.

“Daddy,” he sobbed reaching out.

“I am right next to you. Eat what grandma made please,” Liam took the fork from Harry and stabbed some egg before feeding it to the accepting boy.

“Now let Uncle Harry feed you please,” Liam kisses Zayn’s temple. Zayn’s face scrunches up unimpressed by his father’s attempts.

“Daddy,” Zayn’s hand latches to Liam’s bicep.

“Sorry H,” Liam sighs as he takes the fork and begins to feed Zayn.

“Has he ever gotten this clingy,” Harry chuckles as Zayn attaches his other hand to Liam’s shirt.

“Not once,” Liam’s eyes roll as he tries to speed up feeding Zayn without making him choke.

“Boys you need to get going,” Karen pops out of the kitchen.

“Alright, Harry go fasten Zayn in please. I’ll be right out,” Liam works his body out of Zayn’s tight grip only to hear the sobbing sound off once again.

“Daddy will come back,” Harry soothes carrying Zayn out to the garage to place him in the car.

“Alright let’s get this show on the road,” Liam smiles while dumping his backpack, duffle bag, and diaper bag in the back before starting up the car.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Dropping Zayn at daycare was a huge performance truly. Harry came along in hopes that Zayn would be too embarrassed to act out in front of his buddy, but that was not the case.

As soon as a smiling Mr. Dornan came to the half door, Zayn began a meltdown fit for the kings. His arms wrapped around Liam’s legs like a constrictor.

“Oh no, Zayn has it been a tough morning,” Jamie crouches down talking to the little one.

“Stay with daddy,” he wailed reaching for Harry’s hand to keep the curly teen as well. If he can’t have one he’ll gladly take the other.

“Oh who is this, Zayn,” Jamie looks up to meet Harry’s green eyes.

“Hawwy,” he chokes out between a sob.

“Here’s his bag, and his Lamby,” he says a little louder, and Zayn looks towards his plush lamb in Mr. Dornan’s hands.

“Mine,” he wails reaching for it.  
“I think Lamby would really like to play with you, Niall, and Gigi. How about we go see them,” Jamie stands with a hand stretched out for Zayn. Hesitantly the boy takes it. Along with keeping Harry’s hand hooked that is.

“I have to go big guy,” Harry works his hand out before closing the gate. Liam and Zayn walk away to the sound of Zayn begging for his daddy and his Harry.

“Poor guy,” Harry mumbles looking back.

“He’ll be alright,” Liam murmurs as his heart breaks just a little more.

The two headed into English class right before the bell rang.  
================================================

“You sure he’s okay,” Harry pestered Liam for what seemed the 20th time that day, and they have only just it to lunch.

“God Harold. He’s fine. If he needed me they would have called me. Now we don’t have practice today because the coach has planning. You can come get him with me today if you stop with all the pestering,” Liam’s eyes roll as he continues to eat his sandwich.

“I’m just nervous. You saw how much he wanted me to stay. Liam he has barely liked me until recently,” Harry whines pushed around his potatoes with his plastic fork.

“Yes he has. It’s just last weekend you spent more time with him. He’s just a little attached. It’ll be fine. You’ll see him later,” Liam continued cleaning up his trash.

“Well how is he going to react tonight,” Harry hummed out while they made their way down to their lockers.

“What’s tonight,” Liam’s brow furrowed.

“The team dinner. It’s at your house this week,” Harry explained in an annoyed tone. He couldn’t believe Liam had forgotten.

“No, I thought it was Lou’s,” Liam’s eyes bulged.

“It’s Lou’s next week,” Harry said grabbing his folders.

“Crap, I bet my mom already knows. God, Zayn’s been having the worst time getting to sleep, this is just going to push it,” Liam sighed.

“He’ll be okay. I’ll make sure he gets to sleep,” Harry tries to reassure Liam.

“Whatever you say, but unless you want to get up and change diapers at two o’clock in the morning with someone screaming in your face to do it faster, I wouldn’t talk so highly of parenting abilities if I were you,” Liam chuckled heading off to class.

“Whatever you say Payno, I’ll be the perfect person for this,” Harry grinned walking off to class  
====================================================================  
Towards the end of the day, Harry and Liam walked into the daycare. Immediately Liam’s ears perked up when he heard Zayn fussing. Whining transforming into shirll wails.

Mr. Dornan was bouncing Zayn while patting his back. To any normal caregiver it was easy to see Zayn’s regression. But it was hard for Liam to tell how young his baby was.

“Mr. Payne, someone woke up on the wrong side of the crib,” Jamie cooed to the baby as he bounced him.

“How old is he,” Liam hummed coming forward to have the little boy shifted into his arms.

“Six months just about. He’ll probably be back to normal in the morning, but I wrote up a plan for you for tonight, Mr. Styles,” Jamie hands Harry the diaper bag.

“Have fun Mr. Payne, I’m always on speed dial,” Jamie smiled before watching the boys off before going back to the other children who have parents still coming to pick up their littles.

“Well this is just great,” Liam groaned while patting Zayn’s back on their way to the parking lot.

“You act like you haven’t been caring for a baby the past month or so,” Harry chuckles.

“Because I haven’t been. I’ve been watching a toddler who can tell me what he needs, and lets me get at least a little sleep, and isn’t constantly crying,” Liam complained.

“Get his pacifier would you,” Liam ordered while shifting Zayn to lay in his carseat. The little one wails getting louder as he lost connection with his dad’s chest.

“Here we go buddy,” Liam pressed the green circular soother into Zayn’s mouth. The boy’s wails stopped soon after.

“Is that much better,” Liam cooed pressing a kiss to his forehead before getting in the car. Harry went to sit in the passenger side.

“Oh no Styles. I need you back there with him in case anything goes wrong,” Liam explains.

“What could go wrong on a ten minute drive to your house,” Harry guffawed.

“I don’t know, but I don’t want to find out,” Liam pointed to the back, and Harry groaned but complied. Only seconds into the drive as they were waiting for all the cars to exit the parking lot did Zayn lose his pacifier to begin his crying once again.

“You’re alright big guy,” Harry soothed patting his stomach.

“Look for his lamb,” Liam called back just as they finally pulled out onto the road.

“Come on, Z,” Harry tried shaking the lamb about.

“Check his diaper,” Liam improvises. Zayn was probably fussy for that reason. Otherwise Liam wasn’t sure what was wrong.

“He’s a bit wet. We’ll fix that soon enough, buddy,” Harry fit the pacifier back into Zayn’s mouth, and tried for few more belly pats while the boy fussed.

When Liam pulled into his drive, he was quick to get out of the car. He unhinged the carseat, and made his way inside with Harry following behind.

“Uh oh, what is wrong with my grand baby,” Karen coos as she is in the kitchen already preparing dinner for the team. It was going to be a lot of boys to feed on a school night.

“He regressed down to six months. So now he would like his diaper changed and I’m not being fast enough,” Liam groans as he sits the carseat on the counter.

“Oh honey, just change him on a blanket in the living room. I used to do it all the time when you and the girls were little. It was quick, and for some reason you preferred it,” she smiled handing over a freshly washed muslin blanket.

“Is Uncle Harry changing Zayn,” teases Karen as Liam hands the baby to Harry to hold while grabbing out the supplies.

“Oh no he is not, nice try Mrs. P,” Harry chuckles taking the boy to the living room and laying him down on the blanket for Liam.

“Okay beta, shall we stop crying. Make you all dry and cozy,” Liam coos pulling off the leggings, and unsnapping the buttons at the crotch of his onesie. The onesie is shifted up his tummy while Zayn’s legs wriggle around fussing.

“Oh a little dancer, huh,” Harry grins trying to get Zayn to lessen his cries.

“I will pay you to stop squirming, please sunshine,” Liam groans trying to lock down the little one’s legs so they don’t get caught up in his wet diaper. Towards the end, Zayn’s cries began to lessen as he focused on Harry walking around to clean up some of the toys that older Zayn had left around throughout the day prior.

“All better, go see Uncle Harry while daddy brings your things upstairs,” Liam shifts the content little boy into Harry’s arms.

“Hi big guy,” Harry smiles shifting the boy to sit on his forearm with his back against Harry’s chest. A hand coming up in between his legs to keep him secured. Liam didn’t bother to button up the crotch, and Harry can’t take it in him to care.

Zayn was trying to tug off Harry’s rings, but whined when he wasn’t successful. Harry’s knees bounced in a sway to soothe the boy while making his way into the kitchen.

“So are you going to be sticking around for the whole night,” Karen hummed watching her fake son enter the kitchen with Zayn

“I mean if Liam wants a little help, then yeah of course,” Harry grinned pecking Zayn’s temple.

“Now what is going on with you two,” Karen smirked keeping her back to the boy while stirring the pot of potatoes.

“What,” Harry choked as he stopped his bouncing.

“Dear, you and Liam act like I don’t know you’re both gay. Yet you came out to both me and your parents in a group over dinner for support of each other. That was over a year ago. Still you two aren’t going steady,” she questioned putting down the spoon.

“Um,” Liam entered just before Harry could respond, and Karen got back to stirring the potatoes. That was too close for comfort.

“There’s my boys,” Liam smiles tickling Zayn’s tummy. The little boy giggles reaching out for his father.  
“You need to stay with Uncle Harry. I need to make you lunch,” Liam goes around to grab bottles.

“I’ll be right back boys, I’m going to get flowers for the dinner table. Watch the food please,” Karen passes by Harry.

“Talk to him dear, now is your time,” she smiles.

Good thing she forgot to take the baby though. Zayn soon became hungry and began to fuss in Harry’s arms.

“It’s almost ready beta. Harry can you go back to bouncing him. He really likes that. I’ll get a pacifier so he doesn’t make your fingers wrinkle,” Liam smiles lightly as he looks at his little boy with his best friends fingers stuck in his mouth.

But all Harry can think of his how the boy white the chocolate brown eyes is going to absolutely ruin him if he can’t lay his heart out on the line, and have it picked up by Liam.

One night when Harry showed up to the Payne’s house drunk out of his mind he confessed his love for the boy while sobbing onto Karen’s shoulder. She was not only a second mom, but a close friend to the curly haired boy. She took care of him. She supported him like she was his own son.

So when he began to go after Liam she was all for it. She would do anything for Harry to get his moment in, and she thought that the boys hanging out the previous weekend would’ve worked out well, but it didn’t. 

Because neither of them said shit.

The moment in bed when Harry admitted his secret to Liam was a big milestone, but it wasn’t enough to push him forward.

“H,” Liam called Harry back into reality.

“Here’s his bottle,” Liam handed it over to Harry with a grin, and threw a burp rag over his best friend’s shoulder.

“Thanks,” Harry coughed out. Liam’s brow furrowed in confusion, but then he just nodded and went to the back door.

“I’m going to head out to the garden for a minute,” Harry nodded Liam in acknowledgement while keeping his eyes on the feeding little one.

Liam kept his pace normal so Harry couldn’t see him through the kitchen, but he was absolutely furious with his mother.

“What did you say to Harry,” Liam seethed.

“Me? We just talked about how lovely Zayn was growing up,” she smiled. Liam knew she was lying.

“He zoned out on me like everytime he does when you talk about us being together. He doesn’t like me that way mom! Can’t you just accept that, and stop pestering him,” Liam pleaded being already humiliated enough.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that dear, but alright. Mommy while stop meddling. But on your two’s wedding day I am going to make sure everyone knows that I was right,” she shrugged going in before him carrying a wicker basket full of fresh picked daisies and lilac.

Liam shook his head annoyed before following his mother back to the house. Inside he found Harry cooing to his son.

“I know big guy, we just have to get a little air out before finishing off the bottle. Just give me a little burp, and then your tummy can go back to being filled,” Harry sighed working up the air.

“Their we go. That was so good,” Zayn smiles sleepily.

“Okay finish it off before daddy lays you down for an extra nap,” Harry coos. Liam flinched. For some reason his mind left to Harry referring to himself as daddy, but that would be insane. 

Harry would be papa.

Oh shut up brain. Liam shook his head before walking into the dining room with silverware to set up the table for dinner.

“Okay, Li where am I laying him?” Liam’s heart fluttered when hearing the pet name. Stupid mom getting these ideas back into his head.

“You can put him up in his crib please,” Liam smiles lightly before going back to the kitchen to get a pitcher of water.

Harry climbed the stairs with the little one laying over his shoulder. Zayn was partially asleep, but still fussing.

“Okay big guy, just a little nap then it will be time for a yummy dinner, and maybe another diaper change, hm,” Harry gently laid the little one down in the crib. Not disconnecting his chest until Zayn’s back touched the crib mattress. Zayn cried out reaching for Harry.

“Shh,” Harry pressed a pacifier into Zayn’s mouth, and shook the lamb above his head before lowering it to the boy. Slowly his eyes blinked closed, and Harry snuck out.  
=============================================================  
The team arrived just a few seconds before Zayn woke up. Everyone kicking off their shoes in the foyer when Liam heard the baby monitor sound off.

“I’ll be right back,” he whispered to Ashton before sneaking up the stairs to his son.

“Hi, beta. Did you have a nice sleep,” Liam lifted Zayn to his chest with a kiss of temple before carting him to the changing table for a really quick change.

“Oh my goodness, is the big boy awake,” Harry cooed slipping in. Liam jumped.

“You scared me,” Liam laughs slightly annoyed.

“Sorry, I just missed him. I was going to wake him if he didn’t wake up in another ten minutes,” Harry smiled sheepishly.

“Yeah, well now he is all ready for another bottle and some dinner in about ten minutes. Is everyone sitting at the table now,” Liam hummed fixing Zayn’s diaper before shifting his onesie down.

“Just about, they refuse to eat until you return though,” Harry chuckled.

“Alright well let’s not disappoint them then,” Liam laughed cuddling Zayn close to his chest. The little one’s pacifier bobbing into Liam’s neck.

When the boys came down the stairs, their teammates wolf whistled. Liam rolled his eyes while Harry blushed, but they both laughed it off.

“Come on Payne we’re starving. Give me the baby and you two go get your food,” Louis took Zayn from Liam. 

Both of the boys expected a bad reaction, but for some reason Zayn snuggled down deeper.

“Well that’s different,” Harry laughed as he knew Zayn wasn’t a fan of other people.

It must be something to do with the fact that Louis is a caregiver.

“I have to make him a little bottle too,” Liam called, and a chorus of groans echoed through the group, but they refused to be rude and eat without the boys.

Something about them being a team and how waiting for everyone to have food at the table was good luck. It didn’t make much sense, but it did make wonderful gentlemen.

“I already have it ready hun,” Geoff snickered handing over a plate of food to Liam along with a bottle, and then picking up a plate to hand to Harry.

“Thank you Mr. P,” Harry grinned.

“No problem son,” Geoff pat him on the back before sending the boys back into the dining room with a rag over Liam’s shoulder.

“Alright, hurry and sit down before we lose our stomachs and our game. We’ ll say usual grace before eating.

“I’ll say it,” Andy smiled as everyone bowed their heads.

“Let us win the game and improve even more than we did last week, Amen,” he closed and the boys echoed his last words before digging in.

Zayn began to fuss out of hunger.

“Pass him over here Lou, he needs his dinner too,” Liam stood to retrieve his baby.

“Can I feed him? Niall isn’t using bottles,” Liam nodded handing over the bottle and tossing the burp rag over Louis’ shoulder.

“Stop when he gets to two ounces to burp him,” Liam reminds before sitting down at the dinner table to continue the chat with the team.

“I am totally going to crush you guys in scrabble,” Harry piped up. Team night also meant game night. 

“No you’re not. You spell fake words to get more points,” the team laughs, and Harry can’t help but follow along in a light chuckle.

“Well at least my fake words look right, Liam over here can barely spell at all, and if he can he thinks the words he uses aren’t real words,” Harry teases nudging Liam in the side.

“Hey, english isn’t for everyone,” he groans putting his head in his hands while trying to show how much he is laughing.

“Lou, how is it going with you and El,” Maz calls over from the otherside of the table. Louis looks up blushing.

“Oh,” the table choruses when his cheeks tint darker.

“What happened Tommo,” Luke nudged him.

“You know,” Louis shrugged laughing nervously.

“This is the point where we find out he didn’t smash her and it was only a peck on the lips,” Harry pipes up and the rest of the table is put into a fit of laughter.

“Hey, have some respect,” Louis rolls his eyes.

“Anyways at least I made a move, and am not dancing around the fact that I like someone. Cough cough Liam cough cough,” Louis smirks, and so does the rest of the team while Harry’s face falls and Liam blushes.

“Just had to make it awkward didn’t you, Tommo,” Michael laughs.

Zayn finished his bottle them immediately began to fuss.

“Come here, big guy,” Harry cooed bending down to lift Zayn to his chest, and his legs started to bounce. Everyone was astounded to see how much the baby found comfort in Harry.

“So, how much time do you two actually spend together,” Michael’s eyebrows said it all, and the rest of the team waited for an answer.

“He’s just been helping me out because Zayn’s been acting out and regressing lately. No big deal. Come on to the living room for some scrabble where I will kick all your butts,” Liam got up picking up plates along with all the other boys. The dishes were put into the sink before everyone went to the living room and sat around the coffee table.

“Let me see him,” Harry shifted Zayn into Liam’s arms. A pacifier was popped into his mouth as he sat down on his dad’s knee. 

Zayn began to fuss from boredom within five minutes of the game.

“Harry can you grab his lamb from the crib,” Liam began to bounce his knees to quiet the boy.

“Yeah, be right back,” he rushed up grabbing the lamb, and a blanket to wrap the boy in. He was going to try to get Zayn to sleep before heading up to the nursery with him.

“Here you go,” Harry crouched down pecking Zayn’s temple, and handing over the fluffy lamb. That was enough to make the little one settle back against Liam’s chest, and allow his dad to play on, but it was around six when he started to fuss again.

“Can you hand me that blanket H,” Liam pointed to the fur blanket that Harry had brought down.

It was incredibly smart thinking. Liam wrapped the boy up snuggly and cuddled him to his chest while swaying his legs side to side. A little lullaby humming through his lips. When Zayn’s eyes closed and his pacifier was bobbing in a continuous pattern Liam joined in on the game. 

The teammates would never admit that they were cooing over the baby. His was absolutely adorable as he slept. 

“I’m going to put him down,” Liam finally said as he rose from the couch thirty minutes after the boy had fallen asleep.

Harry watched him sway up the stairs.

“Could be yours if you wanted,” Ansel nudged him.

“Yeah, could be,” Harry’s smile barely visible.


	6. The One Where it's all a bit too Much

It was a strange idea to make teenagers having babies common. After years and years of parents telling their children to be careful, now classifications have become part of daily life, and children are being given children.

Though people tend to forget that these caregivers are also becoming parents. It wasn’t something that just came to them in two seconds.

So that was the best way to explain Liam and Harry’s situation. 

Why was it Harry’s situation? Liam didn’t sign him up for it. But they were busy reading “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” was in Liam’s hands. In Harry’s being “What to Expect When Your Wife is Expecting”. 

Each being very good sources to figure out self soothing for Zayn. Something the little one wasn’t keen on.

Maybe it was more Liam than Zayn’s fault though. Because Liam sort of trained Zayn to expect someone or something to come when he is crying. 

Harry wasn’t exactly being the best with it easier though. He managed to get Zayn right as a wail came from his mouth.

Zayn was over in the corner sleeping in his playpen. His legs tucked under his but as he snoozed in only a diaper. His green soother bobbing under his nose.

“Why do we have to do this again,” Harry sighed putting down the book to look at the little one shove his lamb into his armpit.

“I have to do this so I can get more sleep at night. You have to do this because you practically live at my house, and he sees you almost as much,” Liam smiled before going back into reading methods.

Zayn shifted in the playpen for a few moments before rolling his head a bit to come across the boys completely indulged in their readings; not even looking at Zayn.

That just wouldn’t do.

So with a small moment of decision he let out a cry and stood up.

“Okay, don’t pick him up just yet,” Liam told Harry, but that only got the little one more upset.

“Ha,” Zayn reached out through his cries. That man was pretty easy to get to.

“Hi baby, look is that lamby,” Liam coos pointing to the stuffed animal left at Zayn’s feet.

“Dada,” Zayn pleaded stretching up on his toes to grab Liam.

“You’re okay, happy boy, um,” Liam looked back to Harry who was flipping violently through the pages of “What to Expect when You’re Expecting”

“I’ve got nothing,” Harry sighed tossing the book over the couch before pushing Liam to the side to lift Zayn from the playpen.

“Hi baby,” he kissed Zayn’s cheek.

“Are you kidding,” Liam huffed.

 

“Poor baby needs his diaper changed. Daddy would’ve gotten you if you told him how soaked you were,” Harry handed Zayn over to Liam.

“Okay baby, let’s get you changed and then scold uncle Harry for not following through with daddy,” Liam sighed kissing Zayn’s cheek before laying him down on the ground.

“We should go see the girls soccer game today. I know Eleanor is playing and so is Gigi and Perrie. They’re pretty good, and I bet Zayn would like it,” Harry smiled running his fingers through Zayn’s dark locks.

“Well I’m up for it, but I want to know when we’re leaving and when we’ll be finished because I want to put Zayn down at some point. I also need to put some layers on him. It’s in the sixties today,” Liam sat Zayn up then the little one crawled over to find toys.

“Zee, you want to see Niall today,” Harry hummed as he let Liam escape for a moment.

“Nall,” Zayn smiled nodding his head as he pressed shapes into a cube with little cut outs for each shape.

“Well then should we go get dressed and have a little snack as well before going to watch some soccer,” Harry went to lift Zayn from the ground, but the boy fussed away in a huff.

“No,” Zayn whined as he was quite happy sitting in his diaper while playing.

“I’ve got some clothes for Zayn. Get some goldfish from the cabinet for the car please,” Liam instructed as he worked a tee shirt with colorful stripes over Zayn’s head.

“No dada,” Zayn screeched proceeding to wail.

“Zayn Javadd,” Liam rolled his eyes before proceeding to lift the boy up to a stance.

“No, no pants! No shir, no diapy,” Zayn went to pull off a strap of his diaper, but before he could, Liam grabbed his wrist.

“Don’t you dare. You take that off you go to time out,” Liam scolded before looking to Harry as he came into the room with a bowl full of goldfish for his son.

“Watch him please, I’m going to get a onesie. He’s being a bit defiant today,” the two shared a laugh.

“Zayn look, got you a snack,” Harry sat down on the floor and put the goldfish bowl on the table. Harry pulling the pacifier from his mouth.

“No diapy,” Zayn huffed as he sat down to pry off his diaper tabs.

“Excuse me, hands above the waist sir, that diaper is staying fully taped,” Harry moved Zayn’s hands up and gave him a goldfish.

Which with Zayn being Zayn, it was held in two hands. 

“Is that yummy,” Liam smiled as he appeared with the onesie.

“No dada,” Zayn’s eyes widened as he saw the onesie.

“Zayn you already showed daddy that you’re not going to be good with your clothes today, so yes you will wear this,” Liam tugged the striped shirt over Zayn’s head then proceeded to pull a black onesie with Payne and Liam’s football number on the back. A gift from his mom of course.

“Pants are on,” Liam pulled some jeans up Zayn’s legs while the boy continued to eat his goldfish.

“You gonna get your shoes for daddy to put on,” Lim hummed combing his fingers through Zayn’s dark locks.

“No yike,” Zayn shook his head while grabbing another goldfish.

“Look Zee, such cool shoes,” Harry appeared with his little nike Air Force 1 pair.

“No yike,” he whimpered before crying out.

“Okay, come here,” Liam sighs sitting with Zayn on his lap while Harry works the shoes onto his feet then proceeds to tie them tight.

“No,” he wails kicking his feet out.

“You’re fine, come on,” Liam sighs lifting the boy on his hip.

“Can you grab the diaper bag,” Liam questioned as he goes into the kitchen with a wailing Zayn on his hip that he’s trying to bounce.

“Yeah, is everything in it,” Harry hummed as he sifted through the bag.

“Should be, let’s go,” Liam grabs Harry’s hand to pull him out the door.

For Harry it felt as if his heart skipped a beat, and then all of a sudden began pounding out of his grey shirt with army written across it.

Liam was completely oblivious to the situation until he went to put Zayn in the car. He reached his hand forward, but realized something came with the hand that was supposed to be empty.

“Oh,” Liam coughs before un clasping their hands.

“Sorry dude,” Liam chuckles nervously before reaching forward for the diaper bag and tossing it in the back.

“No worries,” Harry chuckles nervously before going around to sit shotgun in the SUV. 

“That was awkward,” Liam murmured as he buckled his fussing boy into the car seat.

“Alright, to the girls,” Liam cheered as he buckled into his seat.

“Yay,” Harry cheered as he leaned back to shove a pacifier into Zayn’s lips so he would quiet his whines.

It worked like a charm just as expected.  
================================================

When the boys arrived they quickly realized that Zayn had passed out in that short ten minute drive. Each of the boys were dreading the idea of waking Zayn.

Because it is very true what people say. You should never wake a sleeping baby.

“What if I just wore the baby carrier,” Harry whispered as Liam got out the stroller.

“You think he’s gonna stay asleep that way?”

“I mean it worked last time, so might as well give it a shot this time,” Harry shrugged.

“How ‘bout when he’s getting ready to go down when we’ve got an hour or so left with the girls. I think if we play it safe then we can transfer the car seat to the stroller smoothly,” Liam murmured.

“Alright, I’ll get him,” Harry reached into the center of the SUV and carefully unclasped the car seat from the actual seat, then he lifted him from the car.

Zayn wriggled slightly, and the two held their breath.

“Toss me a blanket,” Harry whispered. Liam dug through the diaper bag before coming across a soft grey wool blanket.

Harry snapped Zayn onto the stroller before fixing the blanket over the top of the car seat hood.

“You think he’s going to be good,” Liam put the diaper bag in the basket below the stroller.

“Course, look I think I see Lou and Niall,” Harry pushed the stroller along through the grass.

“Good morning,” Louis smiled walking over with Niall on his hip.

“Morning,” Liam grinned along with Harry who followed in a greeting.

“How did the little man sleep,” Louis gushed looking down at the covered carrier.

“He woke up a few times last night then H got over at eight and the baby woke up at nine,” Liam took Niall from Louis.

“How did you sleep buddy,” Liam pecked Niall’s cheek.

“Goo, daddy loud,” Niall snuggled into Liam’s shoulder. Liam raised his brow.

“Watched soccer after the game last night,” Louis chuckled.

“Baby,” Niall questioned leaning down to look at the covered carrier.

“Yeah, is there a baby in there,” Harry hummed as they made their way over to the bleachers.

“Baby pay,” Niall whined as he was sat down on a little picnic blanket near a group of foldable chairs that Louis brought along.

“No, the baby needs to sleep Niall,” Louis told him gently as he sat the boy down with a squishy football.

“Daddy,” Niall huffs before standing to pull himself onto Louis’ lap.

“Okay lad, up you go,” Louis pecked Niall’s head before wrapping an arm around his stomach.

“Momma,” Niall shouted as he saw Eleanor steal the ball.

“Yeah, is that momma, say go momma,” Louis clapped Niall’s hands.

“Momma,” Niall grinned back at his dad.

“He loves Eleanor doesn’t he,” Liam chuckled watching the little sparkle Niall got in his eyes when he saw his mom with the ball.

“More than me that’s for sure. Has its advantages though. I haven’t changed one poopy diaper, and only about five wet ones,” Louis smirks.

“Down,” Niall pat Louis’ chest to be let free. 

“Come on El,” Louis screamed as he stood up cheering for his girl when she scored.

“Go El,” the two other men screamed. 

Niall on the other hand was crawling over to the stroller.

He wanted someone to play with, and the men were all distracted enough that he could.

Niall managed to stand himself up and get a hand in the carrier to poke and prod at the little one. 

Zayn wriggled in his car seat before opening his eyes to notice a little hand poking and prodding his tummy.

The little one shrieked before wailing. Niall pulled his hand out shocked before crying himself.

“Niall James,” Louis popped up from his chair as Harry jumped up to grab Zayn.

“Niall James, did you wake baby Zayn up,” Louis scolded while turning the little blonde boy to look at him. Niall kept his chin tucked into his chest.

“Excuse me, look at daddy,” Louis tilted Niall’s chin up.

“Did you wake up the baby,” Louis questioned again.

“Play daddy,” Niall whined while trying to dry his tears.

“It’s okay Lou,” Liam watched on sadly as Niall was being scolded.

“No it’s not Li, go say sorry to the baby now,” Louis instructed as he dabbed away at his eyes.

“Sorry baby,” Niall murmured as he tugged at Zayn’s foot. The baby being swayed back and forth by Harry.

“It’s okay Niall, you want to play with Zee,” Harry hummed as he took the little one’s hand and led him to the blanket.

“Zee play faba,” Niall mumbled while suckling his fingers.

“Yeah, just need to toss gently okay? Can you be super sweet with him,” Harry smiled while sitting the boys down on the blanket. He laid on his stomach next to Niall.

Liam and Louis were off in their own conversation though.

“He’s great with Zayn,” Louis gushed looking over to the boys as Harry tickled and poked each of the little guys.

“He really is. Been a huge help,” Liam looked on dreamily.

“So, when are you gonna take him out,” Louis mumbled and Liam’s eyes widened.

“What,” Liam coughed.

“Well come on, you’re already practically dating. Just ask him out. I know you’ve thought about kissing him. 

“Louis that is never going to happen. He’s my best friend, and only that,” Liam shook his head with rosy cheeks.

“Whatever you say dude,” Louis chuckled as he took a sip of his water bottle.

“Two happy babies all set,” Harry grinned as he sat down then pulled over his green bay sweatshirt.

“Sorry about Niall guys. He was so excited to see Zayn you know,” Louis shrugged a little embarrassed.

“Don’t mention it. He got Zayn up just in time so he’ll go down a bit easier,” Liam shrugged lightly.

“Someone stinks,” Louis sniffed into the air then glanced over at the boys.

“How much you wanna bet it’s my son,” Liam groaned.  
“Niall, come to daddy, did you make a poopy,” Louis motioned Niall over.

“No daddy,” Niall smiled walking over.

“You a good boy and leave all your poopy diapers for mommy, or does daddy have to change one,” Louis tugged out Niall’s pants.

“That’s my stinker,” Louis cheered kissing Niall’s cheek and giving him a tickle on the tummy.

“Shit,” Liam murmured. Harry jabbed him in the side.

“What?”

 

“Don’t swear,” Harry scolded.

“I should’ve noticed. Look at his face,” Liam pointed to Zayn. The boy’s nose scrunched up as he looked down.

“Harry should change him, initiate him into the dad club,” Louis chuckled.

“You wanna give your first poopy diaper a go, H,” Liam chuckled. He did not expect the answer he got.

“Yeah, might as well,” Harry shrugged before standing up to go grab the diaper bag.

The two looked at each other shocked.

“Squirt,” Harry called with a diaper in his hands.

“Come here,” Harry crouched down.

“Ha,” Zayn cooed as he crawled across the grass to meet Harry.

“Oh my, you stink, pee yew,” Harry wrinkled his nose, but proceeded to press little kisses across Zayn’s cheek.

Harry laid the boy down onto a changing mat.

“Good luck, can’t believe you actually are doing this,” Liam chuckled watching as Harry laid Zayn down. 

The little guy wasn’t expecting a thing. It wasn’t until his onesie was being unbuttoned that Zayn began to kick up a fuss.

“Hey, hey, you’re alright, babes,” Harry cooed as he was preparing to get started.

“Can I give him lamby or no,” Harry questioned Liam.

“Unless you want to clean poop off it, then I wouldn’t,” Liam chuckled.

“Okay, um,” Zayn began to wail as he wiggled his legs around.

“Don’t cry, okay let’s fix up your diaper,” Harry sighed as he pushed the onesie up Zayn’s tummy. 

“Oh my,” Harry coughed, and the other two laughed until they got a sight of what was in that little boy’s diaper. 

“Holy poop,” Louis corrected himself before he swore.

“You must be so uncomfortable,” Harry coughed before sucking it up and taking some wipes to drag over Zayn’s bum. 

Zayn did not stop his crying or wriggling for one moment.

“Please baby boy, You want my hat,” Harry pulled off his black snapback and handed it to Zayn. 

“Dada,” Zayn wailed as his Uncle Harry was completely torturing him while cleaning him.

“You’re alright beta,” Liam rubbed his tummy as Harry fastened a clean diaper onto Zayn.

“Right as rain aren’t we,” Harry grinned as he buttoned up Zayn’s onesie and tugged pants back up his legs.

“Here is one clean and beautiful baby boy,” Harry dropped Zayn down into Liam’s lap.

“I need to toss this before it explodes,” Harry leans down to kiss Zayn’s cheek and then proceeds to kiss Liam’s. It isn’t until he’s walking away does he realize what he’s done.

“I told you,” Louis smirked as he bounced Niall on his lap.

“Harry is Zee’s papa,” Niall murmured around drool covered fingers.

“No, he’s uncle Harry. For you and for baby Zee,” Louis corrected. 

He may want them to date, but that doesn’t mean he wants any trouble between parent confusion.

============================================

As the game came to an end, Harry found himself with Zayn clinging to him. The boys were both exhausted.

“You want to try out the carrier,” Liam hummed as he watched Harry bounce Zayn around to soothe him.

“If you think it will make him comfier,” Harry sighed as he tried to get Zayn to stop crying. 

Liam tried to soothe Zayn to begin, but it seemed as if Harry was having slightly better luck.

Liam stole Zayn off of Harry, which only made the boy cry more.

“I know,” Liam hushed as Harry worked on the carrier. Liam slid Zayn into the carrier as Harry finally situated the carrier.

“There we go,” Harry cooed as he situated Zayn into a comfortable position. Zayn wriggled his head side to side before finally dropping his head to lay against Harry’s chest.

He finally stopped crying. 

“Yes,” Liam cheered quietly as Harry continued to sway while patting Zayn’s bum.

“He’s getting really tired isn’t he,” Louis smiled as he finished changing Niall.

“Oh yeah, gonna let him sleep on H. When does the match end? We should take everyone out for dinner,” Liam smiled as he pecked Zayn’s dark locks while Harry continued to sway and soothe.

“ Do you think he’s going to want a bottle instead of dinner,” Harry hummed with his cheek leaning against Zayn’s head.

“I don’t know. I’ve got one in the warming bag just in case,” Liam smiled.

“Momma,” Niall ran forward to Eleanor as her and a few girls came from the locker room.

“Hi baby boy,” Eleanor cooed as he tossed Niall in the air before setting him onto his hip.

“Hi big boy,” she giggled before pecking Louis’ on the lips. He let out a little chuckle of admiration towards her.

“Good game girls,” Liam smiled giving Eleanor, Perrie, and Gigi a hug.

“It was one of our best I’d say, but I’m really ready to eat,” Perrie exasperated.

“Me too! I’m thinking burgers,” Gigi smiled as he glanced over to Harry.

“Awe, is that little Zayn. I’ve heard so much about him,” Gigi cooed, and the girls all quickly circled Harry.

“He’s trying to go down a bit. We’ll head to the restaurant and feed him a bottle or something before he passes out,” Harry smiled as he let the girls peak in at the baby attached to his chest.

Zayn fussed working up a cry when Harry stopped patting his bum, but the man got right back to it before any crying could actually occur.

“He’s my fussy mister tonight,” Liam sighed as he finished cleaning up the last of the items.

“Okay hurry up everyone. You hungry Ni,” Louis reached for Niall, but the little boy tucked himself tighter into Eleanor.

“Momma’s boy,” Louis teased and the adults laughed when Niall nodded along proudly.

“Momma,” Niall grinned as Eleanor pressed kisses to his cheek.

“My favorite boy,” she eskimo kissed him.

“Hey,” Louis pretended to look offended, which in return made everyone laugh.  
=============================================

As the night came to an end, Harry volunteered to put Zayn to sleep.

He rocked him in the chair while feeding a bottle.

Changed his diaper and clothing.

Then it was off the sleepyville.

It wasn’t till Harry laid the little boy down in his crib though did anything change.

But when Zayn mumbled out a little “Papa” before closing his eyes, Harry took a step back from the crib.

“No baby, Harry,” Harry corrected sort of panicking.

“Papa,” Zayn smiled before closing his eyes.

Harry exited the room quietly before running down the stairs. Liam sitting down while watching some television with his parents.

“Woah where’s the fire,” Liam chuckled standing up as his best friend was practically sprinting to the door.

“I’ve got to go,” Harry mumbled. His brow creased.

“You alright, man,” Liam’s eyes widened, worried as Harry began to speak faster than usual. 

“Yeah, yeah of course. Good night,” Harry murmured before darting out of the house.

“Is he okay,” Karen came into the lounge.

“I don’t know, I’m gonna try to catch him,” Liam flung the door open, then shut it hard as he began to run after Harry down the long driveway.

“Harry Styles, stop,” Liam screamed. He was completely done with this kid.

“What is your problem,” Liam shouted.

“He called me papa,” Harry screamed back.

“What,” Liam’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“Who did,” Liam questioned.

“Zayn, your son called me papa,” Harry said in one breath.

“What are you talking about?”

“I was putting Zayn to sleep and he called me papa,” Harry’s lip trembled.

“So what?”

 

“So what? So what? Liam I’m not his fucking dad! I’m not even important to you, so what makes him think I’m his dad,” Harry shouted.

“What makes you think you’re not important to me,” Liam questioned completely awed by the situation.

“Liam I have had the biggest crush on you since we were kids, and you haven’t once acknowledged it! I have made it so fucking clear so many fucking times, and now your baby is calling me papa! I can’t be his papa if you don’t see me that way,” Liam’s body shook as every word dripped from Harry’s mouth.

“Say something!”

“Damn it Liam, say something or I’m going! This is all too fucking much right now,” Harry barked.

Liam wanted to run to him. Pull him close, kiss him like he knew he could. But he couldn’t.He was in too much shock.

His best friend liked him.

Too.

“Call me when you know what you want,” Harry murmured before trekking down the driveway. Much slower then he was going to begin with.


	7. The One With All The Crying

“Come on, Zee. I have too,” Liam sighed as he stood there with a diaper in his hands along with a pack of wipes.

“Hawwy,” Zayn pouted as he backed further into the corner.

“Harry is busy today,” Liam mumbled before going to sit on the couch.

In reality he knew where Harry was, and he knew that Harry wasn’t there because of him. It sucked, it really sucked, but he just had to act like it nothing too big. He had to continue being dad.

“Hawwy chain,” Zayn whimpered from his corner of the room.

“Harry can’t change you baby. Please just cooperate with daddy,” Liam pleaded. 

It only took Zayn a second to start the waterworks. 

“You probably need a nap, huh? I’m sorry baby. I’ve been a bit out there today,” Liam pinched his nose in stress.

“Hawwy,” Zayn cried as he was swung up to his dad’s hip.

“I know, it’s okay,” Liam pat his bum as he carried Zayn up to the nursery.

“Daddy, no, no cib,” Zayn sobbed as Liam laid him down on the changing table.

Liam fixed the boy up on the changing table while trying to silently soothe him with light belly pats and a pacifier pushed into his mouth.

“No cib,” Zayn bawled through his pacifier as he was lifted from the changing table. 

“Okay, okay,” Liam pat the boy’s bum and waltzed across the hall to his room. He rocked the boy for a few more minutes before placing him into his swing and switching it on to light rocking.

Right before another cry could break, Liam shoved the dumb lamb into the boy’s arms.

“Shh,” Liam hushed and pat the tummy of his baby to sleep.

Liam quietly left the boy sleeping with a monitor attached to his hand.

Harry still hadn’t called since the last meeting, but then again why would he? Liam was the reason he walked away. The reason he hadn’t come back. It was only a few days into the mid fall break, but Liam felt like he would never see the teen again.

But Liam wasn’t taking Harry’s lost the hardest. It was Zayn. He cried for the man every second he got. He didn’t want his daddy around. He wanted his Harry.

But Liam was just too much of an ass to make the call to get Harry over to see the little one.

So he put up with tantrums for Harry. He put up with the begging for Harry. Even put up with the sobbing for Harry ( but in all honesty it wasn’t just Zayn who sobbed for Harry).

He hasn’t stopped fussing since the morning he woke up and realized Harry was gone. 

Liam swore that Zayn knew it was his fault for his Harry leaving and not returning.

Liam got barely an hour alone before the monitor crackled and the baby’s cries came through.

“I’m coming,” Liam sighs as he lifts himself from the couch and jogs up the stairs.

“Hey, hey, you’re okay,” Liam coos as the boy twists and turns in his swing. The boy is less than pleased.

“Come here, come on,” Liam works to get the boy out of the swing to his chest. Zayn made it known he was upset.

All through the diaper change on the floor. All through the episode of Blue's Clues. When lunch was coming around, Liam was losing it.

Zayn would not stop crying. Liam rocked him, he cried. Liam bounced him, he cried. Liam tried to give him a bottle and it switched from crying to screaming.

His parents were three hours away in London while his baby was losing it. He was losing it too.

“What’s going on beta? Huh, what’s daddy not getting,” Liam hummed with his cheek laying on his baby’s fluffy black head of hair. Zayn’s forehead was wrinkled in distress.

Liam wishes he knew how to make these things better. How to dry up all the tears and settle the boy down. But he didn’t, because in the end he was still a kid. 

People load parents up with books on how to raise your children the “right” way. It isn’t until you’re a parent though do you ever find the right way.

Liam is still looking for the right way though. 

Because it has been two hours and Zayn hasn’t stopped crying once. Liam wants to say his baby is sick, but there is no temperature.

Wants to say his body is changing, but all of his teeth are still fully out, and he hasn’t lost much of his height yet.

He thinks that in the end the only problem with his baby is how sad he is. There is no pain in the cries. Zayn is sad. Zayn misses his papa.

He wants papa to come back home.

Liam takes Zayn into the kitchen and settles him into the high chair. It would have to do.

Zayn sobbed angrily at him.

“Zayn I’m trying okay. I don’t know what to do. I can’t make him come back. He doesn’t want me back okay. Daddy’s trying can you give daddy credit for trying,” Liam pleaded. 

Zayn huffed up a wail.

“Course,” Liam mumbled as he sat down at the island and buried his head in his arms as the baby cried in his high chair.

After a few seconds Liam pulls himself together. He heads over to the pantry and pulls out a shaker full of gerber puffs.

“Zayn,” Liam calls to get the boy’s attention as he shakes the puffs.

“Will you eat this,” Liam hums as he pours a few into his hand. He lowers himself down to sit on a stool at the island.

While crying, Zayn takes a few puffs to eat. But after three or four pieces he decides to be done. His wailing picks up.

“You want to pick food,” Liam hums as he lifts the boy from the high chair and places him on the ground. Though Zayn is quick to sit on his bum and lift his hands up while mumbling the word repeatedly for the direction he plans to go.

“Alright come here,” Liam huffs as he brings the baby up to his chest for a cuddle.

“What can daddy do to make you stop crying,” Liam bounces the boy on his hip while patting his bum.

“Hawwy,” Zayn mumbles into Liam’s shoulder.

“Except that, anything but that.”

“Would you take a bottle? Wanna try that again,” Liam hums as he cuddles the boy a little tighter.

“No,” Zayn blubbered as he snuggled into Liam’s shoulder.

“Do you want to go for a walk,” Liam tried, and that peaked Zayn’s interest.

“Ride,” Zayn shoved his fingers in his mouth while looking at Liam questioningly. 

“Yeah, take a jog in the stroller,” Liam smiled even though on the inside he was going to cry because of the rain that was pouring down.

“Ride,” Zayn nodded.

“Okay, let’s get you dressed in something warm,” Liam headed for the stairs. 

With a quick diaper change and a little struggle with the socks and shoes, Liam and Zayn were able to head out to the garage to get Zayn into his stroller. The boy was buckled down before Liam wrapped a thick blanket around his legs and shoved a pacifier in his mouth. 

“Alright, a happy baby and happy daddy sounds better than this drag we’ve been in,” Liam pressed a kiss to Zayn’s forehead before pushing the stroller off on a run.

Zayn was very pleased with the fresh air. Liam could tell. Because his baby was quiet, and if he got lucky the boy would go down for another nap.

So as Zayn looked at the rain as it fell and the flowers planted along the sidewalk, Liam was left to think to himself about how to ask for forgiveness from the boy with the bright green eyes that would gleam when he smiled. Because he didn’t have even the slightest clue on how to solve his problems.

He knows for a fact that it wasn’t all his fault for Harry leaving.

Or at least that’s what he’s going to tell himself.

But he’s never going to tell Harry that. He wants the teen to come back not go further away.

When the rain came down harder, Liam decided it was best to go back home, so Zayn wouldn’t end up with a cold. With luck his baby was sleeping soundly in the stroller.

Liam somehow managed to transfer Zayn to his arms without waking him.

In the house, Liam laid the boy into a bouncer on the kitchen table. He watched the boy suckle his pacifier for a few moments before going to the fridge to search for dinner.

Liam decided on penne pasta with butter for Zayn and a bit of marinara to go with his.

It was so strange to have Zayn quiet after the past two hours of non stop crying, but the pasta seemed to have been cooked faster than before, and the sauce smelled amazing.

When Liam began to fill his bowl, Zayn awoke.

He twisted and whimpered till his eyes fell open to Liam.

“Well hello, did you have a nice nap, daddy missed you,” Liam crooned to get a small smile, which he successfully did.

He lifted Zayn from the bouncer and did a little diaper check.

“Look beta, would you like some pasta, hm? Does that sound good,” Liam popped a kiss to his cheek before situating Zayn into his high chair. The little one pressed his heels into his eyes.

“Now do you want juice, water, or milk for dinner,” Liam grabbed a sippy cup out of the cupboard as he was offering out options.

“Ju,” he mumbled around his pacifier.

“Good choice,” Liam praised while filling the cup with some previously diluted apple juice.

“Daddy is going to keep this till after dinner alright,” Liam stated as he pulled the pacifier from Zayn’s mouth. The boy wasn’t too thrilled, but when a bowl of butter noodles was presented in front of him, he was much quieter.

“Here, try this,” Liam stabbed a piece of the noodle and held it to Zayn’s mouth. The boy took a bite before he let a smile grace his lips.

“Oh, look at that smile. Did dad do good,” Liam chuckled when Zayn nodded. Liam pulled the bowl away to set it on the island. Got quite the rise out of Zayn when he did. The little one withered in his chair before letting out a cry of frustration to Liam as the man was filling his bowl and grabbing a bib.

“Zayn, daddy is going to let you feed yourself,” Liam somewhat cheered and got the raven boy to grin.

“You’re gonna be so good at this, huh,” Liam strapped the bib on then placed the bowl of butter noodles down with the dulled fork onto his tray.

“Can you show daddy how good you are at eating,” Liam tapped the bowl and Zayn nodded feverishly before stabbing his noodle and bringing it up to his mouth gently.

“Good boy!”

Zayn gave a grin and did it again.

“You’re such a big boy,” Liam gave him an encouraging smile, and then he tucked into his own pasta that was doused in some warmed marinara with italian sausage.

They ate on and Liam continued to keep an eye on Zayn. He’d offer praise and encouragement for the boy to finish every few minutes, and Zayn took it happily.

It was a Liam was beginning to clean up dinner did he have one more obstacle presented to him.

Zayn’s face was scrunching and going a little red.

“Zee, are you making a poopy,” Liam hummed with a bit of a grimace to his own face. Those words were enough to make Zayn hold it though.

“Darling don’t do that to daddy. You want to watch a show,” Liam crossed the kitchen and lifted Zayn from his high chair to his own hip.

He took the bouncer off the table and carted it into the living room. After buckling Zayn into the bouncer, he turned on the television to Blue’s Clues and left Zayn to watch with a pacifier.

He knew if he gave Zayn his private time that he would then get that dirty diaper to clean.

Which he was right. When he came back from washing the dishes he could smell Zayn’s full diaper, and the little one’s face was much more content.

Liam nabbed the diaper back from the bottom of the stroller and waltzed over to Zayn.

“You got a bum for me to change, hm,” Liam cooed. Surprisingly, Zayn was reaching forward to grab Liam. He let out an irritated cry.

“Does that not feel nice,” he crooned while placing down the mat and grabbing Zayn out.

Liam worked gently and stopped every few seconds to try cheering Zayn up with tummy tickles and such, but it wasn’t working.

By the time Liam had him redressed, Zayn was back into another crying fit.

Liam tried to soothe him, but it seemed as if the crying fit was going to carry on all night. Because by the time it hit three in the morning, Liam was crying too.

But it was somewhat a good thing. Because he was stressed out to new extents and their was only one person close enough that Liam knew had a shot at soothing the baby.

He dialed and let the phone ring, and somehow they answered.

“Hello,” Harry grumbled tiredly. He didn’t even register who was calling. All he got when he answered though was crying.

“Liam,” Harry mumbled.

“H, I know you hate me right now, and I get it because I hate myself too, but Zayn hasn’t stopped crying since six this evening when I was changing him. He doesn’t have a temperature, he isn’t hungry, doesn’t need a change. Doesn’t want to rock. Harry I’m losing it. I don’t know what he wants,” Liam sobbed into the receiver. 

Harry was already getting out of his bed and going to find his shoes.

“I’m coming over. Go put him in the crib and take a step out for some air okay? The more stressed you are the more stressed he is,” Harry instructed as he found his keys.

“Okay,” Liam whimpered.

“Calm down okay. I’ll be over in a couple minutes,” Harry soothed.

“Are you going to be okay if I hang up,” Harry hummed and he got back a watery ‘yes’.

Harry said his goodbye then went to wake his mother.

“Mom, Liam is having trouble with the baby. I’m going to run over there,” Harry whispered and his mom gave her approval before going back to sleep.

Harry rushed out to the car and may have been pushing it a bit over the speed limit. When he arrived he immediately went through the front door.

Liam was on the couch bawling his eyes out.

“I’m gonna go sort him out. You get some tea or something alright,” Harry carded his fingers softly through Liam’s hair before shooting up the stairs.

In the nursery he found Zayn losing it. 

When Harry appeared his cries got louder.

“What’s this about then? Why are you so upset,” Harry cooed as he lifted the boy to his chest.

“Let’s see, are you hurting a bit,” Harry pressed a kiss to Zayn’s temple before reaching a finger into Zayn’s mouth. His upper molars were gone and his lowers were disappearing.

“Oh my, you’re teething. Let’s get you something cool for your teeth,” Harry cooed. Zayn wailed when Harry. removed his finger.

Harry trekked down the stairs into the kitchen. He did his best to avoid Liam so the teen wouldn’t stress.

In the fridge he came across a cold pacifier with a note on the box it was in.

Of course Karen was more prepared than they could have ever been.

 

“Let’s try this. Give those gums a bit of love,” Harry wiggled the teat past Zayn’s lips and the boy’s face visibly relaxed until he stopped crying and cuddled into Harry.

 

“There we go, let’s go rock in the chair for a bit. Give dad a bit of a rest,” Harry cooed quietly. It didn’t take much before Zayn was passed out. Harry gently transferred him to the crib before exiting the room quietly.

In the kitchen was Liam with two mugs full of hot tea.

“Hi,” Harry mumbled as he stole the mug off of the table.

After Harry took a sip, Liam decided to do what he wanted to do the last night he saw Harry.

He kissed him. He kissed Harry and it felt as if the boy couldn’t feel a thing. His head was in the clouds and it took a few minutes before the two finally pulled away.

“I’m sorry,” was the first thing to come out of Liam’s mouth.

“I should’ve told you that I like you. I really like you Harry, but you’re my best friend and honest to God I just and so scared that if I mess this up I’m going to lose you from my life and I need you Harry. I can’t imagine life without you. These past few days have been absolute shit. I just I didn’t want to tell you how I felt then,” before Liam could finish Harry had pressed their lips together once again in a feverish kiss.

“Shut up,” Harry mumbled when he pulled away.

“I’m not going anywhere Li,” Harry chuckled before putting his mug down and hooking his arms around Liam.

“You promise,” Liam’s voice was muffled into Harry’s shoulder.

“Unless my mom makes me come home, no,” Liam laughed at that.

“I’ve liked you for the longest time, and I had the same idea as you, but I think we’re going to have much more fun if we’re dating, don’t you,” Harry hummed as he nudged Liam up.

“Yeah,” Liam smiled. Harry leaned in and pecked his lips once again.

“Can we go cuddle in your bed? It’s four in the morning,” Harry pouted and Liam grinned before pulling the boy up to bed. 

For the first time this week he was legitimately happy. His life didn’t seem as destroyed as it once was. Everything worked itself out.


	8. The One Where Harry's Sure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song of the chapter: What Would I do Without You- Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors

Liam was packing his and Zayn’s suitcase up for a weekend away with Harry. They were going to stay at Harry’s bungalow about two hours south. Harry had packed the car up already with Zayn’s travel cot and diaper bag. Liam had assigned Harry to watching the boy as he finished putting the last few items into the suitcases.

“Here he comes,” Harry’s voice rung through the upper level with a string of little giggles to follow suit. Liam turned to see his boys with bright smiles walking into the bedroom. Zayn’s right dimple popping out. Zayn had hooked his fingers with Harry’s.

“Well isn’t it the most handsome boy,” Liam cooed.

“Aww thanks, baby,” Harry smirked. Liam rolled his eyes. Zayn cooed happily at the appearance of his father.

“Is his diaper dry,” Liam’s eyes met Harry.

“Daddy, we just cleaned his diaper, leave him alone,” Harry grinned.

“Alright, alright,” Liam held up his hands in surrender.

“Where is Lamby,” Liam’s eyes scanned the room.

“In Zayn’s car seat in my car,” Harry smirked.

“Are we ready to go,” Harry pulled Zayn up to his hip.

“I think so. Did you make Zayn’s bottle,” Liam zipped the bags up.

“Your mom did,” Harry pressed a kiss to Zayn’s cheek then puckered his lips for Liam.

“I’m not kissing you,” Liam joked.

“I’ll carry the bags for you,” Harry raised his eyebrows in suggestion. Liam leaned forward and pressed their lips together before pressing a few kisses to his cheek as well.

“And the baby,” Harry turned his hip and Liam stole the baby from him.

“Okay, everyone get in the car.”

“Where are his shoes,” Liam looked down at Zayn’s feet.

“In the car. I’m not going to make him wear shoes if he’s going to be sitting in a backwards facing car seat for two hours.”

“Fine,” Liam huffed.

Harry took the bags to the car as Liam chatted to his mom.

“Call me if anything goes wrong alright,” she had the baby on her hip.

“Nothing is going to go wrong,” Liam felt warm as Harry wrapped his arms around Liam’s waist from behind.

“I know, but I’m going to miss my boys so much,” she sighed as her eyes became a bit wet.

“It’s a weekend mom. You’ll be okay,” Liam leaned out of Harry’s grasp and gave his mom a hug.

Zayn leaned forward to Harry.

“Come here, big boy,” Harry pulled Zayn up from Karen.

“I’ll take amazing care of your boys I promise. Now which one do you prefer,” Harry joked.

“Oh stop trying to give my mom a heart attack,” Liam chuckled before leaning forward to hug her.

“I love you,” Liam whispered softly before pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“Love you too darling, and I love you,” she poked Zayn’s tummy and Harry leaned down, so she could give the baby a kiss.

“Alright, into the car now. If we want to get there by Zayn’s bedtime we need to get going,” Harry took Liam around the waist and began leading him out to the drive.

Liam got into the passenger seat as Harry was buckling the boy into his car seat. Harry placed the bottle into the side of his car seat.

“Let’s get this show on the road,” Harry cheered.

“I’m already regretting this,” Liam prodded.

“Oh shut up,” Harry grinned before leaning over the console and pecking Liam on the lips before beginning the drive.

 

When they arrived at the bungalow, Zayn was completely passed out. It was just a little bit past eight. They would’ve been earlier, but they had to stop for a diaper change and bathroom break about halfway through, and Zayn was none too pleased about the change, so Liam rocked him a few minutes before they got back on the road.

“Get the crib, yeah,” Liam was lifting Zayn from his carseat to his own chest. The little one had a death grip on his lamb.

“Already ahead of you,” Harry had the travel crib in one arm and his duffle over his shoulder.

It only took about two minutes for Harry to set up the crib in the bedroom and then Liam slowly transferred the baby to lay. He covered him with a blanket from the end of the bed.

“Let me help you get the rest of the stuff,” Liam whispered as the two made it out of the bedroom to the car. Harry grabbed the bag of food and diaper bag while Liam had nabbed his and Zayn’s bags.

“I’m going to leave these in the living space, so we don’t wake Zayn when we’re getting into bed,” Liam whispered.

“Babe,” Harry whispered and Liam’s eyes looked to meet his.

“Yes?”

“Why are we whispering” he whispered and Liam couldn’t help but laugh. 

“I wish I knew,” he chuckled in his quietest whisper. Liam caught Harry’s lips in a slow kiss.

“I like you a lot,” Harry smiled.

“I could probably do better,” Liam shrugged.

“Oh shut it,” Harry laughed before going into the kitchen with Liam following behind. The boys unpacked the food until the clock hit nine.

“Do you want me to go get some take out or something,” Harry leaned over the couch to kiss Liam’s temple.

“Not really,” Liam pouted as he pulled the boy’s neck down for a proper kiss.

“What do you want to eat then,” Harry chuckled as he pulled away from the kiss.

“Just wanna kiss,” Liam mumbled as he pulled Harry around the couch and pulled him down to sit in his lap.

“Hey, we can’t do anything with a baby in the next room,” Harry’s eyebrows were raised with a playful smirk on his lips.

“You’re right,” Liam sighed. Harry smirked before leaning down to kiss Liam.

“Go get food. I’m hungry,” Liam gave Harry another kiss.

“You’ve got it.”

 

**************************************************************************

Liam and Harry eventually made it to the bedroom. It was a little difficult to sneak in without waking Zayn up ( especially when Harry tripped and fell), but they managed it. 

In the morning Harry was up first, like expected. But he was only up because of Zayn’s chatting in mumbles.

“Good morning,” Harry coos as he crawls to the end of the bed to see Zayn sitting in his crib. Zayn pulls himself up to stand.

“How did you sleep? Did you have some nice dreams,” Harry hummed as he carded his fingers through Zayn’s thick locks of raven hair. He leaned down to press a kiss to Zayn’s temple.

“Should we go and get you a nice baba, hmm? Get daddy breakfast too,” Harry hiked Zayn onto his hip. He had to bend down to grab Lamby before quietly closing the bedroom door and going out to the kitchen.

Zayn snuggled into Harry’s shoulder as the curly haired man made his way around the kitchen. He pulled out pre made bottle from the fridge. It was meant for last night if Zayn ever woke up, but they got lucky and he slept all the way through till seven.

“How does daddy do this,” Harry mumbled mainly to himself as he was looking to get the bottle warmer working. He managed to get it after about five minutes. Zayn began to whine because of the wait.

“It’s coming. I’m sorry, I don’t usually do bottles,” Harry smiled into Zayn’s head of hair.

“We should probably change your diaper while the bottle warms up. That’s something I can do pretty well,” Harry pat Zayn’s bum to double check before going to the living room and grabbing the diaper bag to tug into the kitchen. 

He laid the baby down on the ground and worked on a quick clean up job. By the time he finished, the bottle warmer had beeped to signal it was ready.

“Look at that. Just in time,” Harry tickled Zayn’s tummy lightly in attempts to get a giggle, but he only got fussing.

“okay, we’ll go get your baba,” Harry grabbed a burp rag from the bag to toss over his shoulder before going into the kitchen to get the bottle.

Zayn was already beginning to cry.

“It’s coming,” Harry pulled the bottle off of the warmer and dabbed a drop onto his arm before deeming it a proper temperature and rubbing the droplet across Zayn’s lips before nudging the bottle into his lips.

Zayn watches Harry while the man works around the kitchen. He has the baby in his arm nursing a bottle that he holds up with his chin while preparing some toast and eggs.

When breakfast is ready, Harry had successfully fed and burped Zayn. He tried to put the baby down to get the table together, but Zayn made it known that he would not be put into the bouncer.

Liam entered the kitchen with wet hair. He was quiet enough to hear the light singing fall from Harry’s lips.

“Good morning,” Liam smiled and Harry looked up from Zayn to catch Liam’s eyes.

“Looks like daddy woke up,” Harry shifted Zayn to his hip then went to hug Liam.

“And took a shower, how long have you been up for,” he grins when Zayn reaches over to grab onto Liam.

“Long enough to take a shower and get dressed,” he smiles cheekily before pecking Harry.

“I think after breakfast I’m gonna need a shower too,” Harry passes over a cup of coffee to Liam, Zayn whined and reached over for Harry.

The couple sat down for breakfast . Harry giving Zayn bites from his plate. When breakfast was finished, Harry wiped off Zayn’s face, and passed him over to Liam.

It took only about a minute for Zayn to realize Harry was gone, and when he did it was immediate water works. 

Because he thought that Harry had left again.

“Harry will be right back,” Liam pat Zayn’s bum as the boy wriggled in his arms to be free. Liam tried to walk him around and bounce him, but after about three minutes he put Zayn down and let the boy go towards the bathroom.

Liam followed behind quietly.

“You gonna wait for Harry,” Liam hummed as he crouched down to where Zayn was sitting.

“Hawwy,” he bawled pointing to the door.

“I know, is Harry taking a shower,” Liam questioned in hopes to make Zayn recognize that Harry was still present.

“Hawwy,” he sobbed.

“Come here,” Liam decided to pull Zayn from the floor and go to the kitchen with him.

He didn’t need Harry to shower while having a panic attack.

Liam went through the back door out to the patio. He settled Zayn onto his lap, and bounced his knees in attempt to relax his son.

“Hawwy,” Zayn wailed.

“He just had a shower, baby,” Liam pressed a kiss to Zayn’s temple.

“Hawwy.”

“Okay, we’ll go inside,” Liam sighed as he stood from the chair and adjusted Zayn on his hip to a comfortable position.

When Liam entered he could hear that the shower was off.

Obviously meaning that Harry was a bit rushed.

Liam took the hall in slow strides before stopping in front of the bedroom door with his wailing son.

“Are you decent,” he called as his knuckles pounded against the wood.

“Come in,” Harry responded. When they walked in Harry was just slipping on his shirt.

Zayn saw him and his hands went straight for Harry.

Harry being happy to take the boy off of his father.

“Why all these tears,” Harry coos as he drags his thumbs underneath Zayn’s eyes. 

“He wanted you,” Liam gives Harry a little smile.

“Oh my, well I missed my little boy very much during my three second shower. Shall we go get you dressed then go for a walk or something,” Harry’s legs found themselves in a natural bounce in attempts to quiet Zayn.

Zayn leaned down onto Harry’s shoulder to clutch his shirt tight.

“I’m sorry, baby boy. I was going to come right back,” Harry presses a kiss to his temple.

“You’re okay,” he murmurs into the dark locks of hair.  
****************************************

Zayn decided with the morning incident that he was going to stay clingy to Harry. If he wanted to play then Harry would be forced to join in a game as well. 

When lunch came along, Zayn ate in Harry’s lap. Nap time, Harry had to lay beside the crib for twenty minutes before Zayn finally closed his eyes, and fell to sleep.

“I don’t know how you do it,” Harry dropped to the couch and leaned his head into Zayn’s shoulder. He was tired from the day.

“He’s just a little clingy to you after you know,” Liam shrugs trying not to bring something bad up when they were having such a great time.

“Yeah, that’s my fault,” Harry sighs as he closes his eyes.

Harry gets to rest for about ten minutes before Zayn is crying out for him.

“Want me to get him,” Liam hummed as he watched the tired look on his boyfriend’s face.

“No, I’ve got him,” Harry sighs before standing from the couch and going back into the bedroom. There Zayn is standing and calling for Harry.

“I’m right here,” Harry comes around the door. 

It’s breaking heart to see Zayn wail with such passion and to know that the reason is because he walked out on the little family for a week when he could’ve been taking on his new role as ‘papa’ , and now it would take all the saints in the sky to form an imperfectly perfect bond for that to occur.

Harry lifts Zayn from the crib to his chest and slowly begins to sway. His hand instinctively patting the baby’s bum. The only distance kept between the two is the lamb that Zayn rests his head on top of Harry’s shoulder.

He makes his way out to the middle where Liam sits on the couch with a book rested in his hands. When the couch dips, Liam looks up with a light smile.

“You two look cozy,” Liam smiled lightly as he saw Zayn curl his legs up higher, his bum raising a bit.

“A little love bug, I finally caught him,” Harry jokes as he draws circles into Zayn’s back.

Liam goes back to reading the miscellaneous book he picked up from the library a week before they went on fall break, but his mind is in other places. 

It takes about ten minutes before he puts the book down, and looks at Harry.

“Are you sure?”

Harry raises his eyebrows.

“Sure about,” Harry questions, Liam huffs out a long sigh.

“Us, me, Zayn. Because if you’re not then we need to get out of here as soon as possible. I don’t want to be bringing a baby into this if you’re not one hundred percent with everything, and I know it’s a bit too late for that, but I need to know if you’re sure with this,” it comes out in one long breath and Liam can sense that Harry is trying to keep up. 

When he finally understands what Liam says his face drops.

“Of course I’m sure. Where is this coming from,” Harry reaches out to take the book from Liam’s hand before pulling him in for a kiss.

“Last week was really scary for me Harry. My child was asking for you and I couldn’t tell him why you weren’t there. The only reason I had was because I fucked up,” Liam chokes out. 

He’s been trying to have this conversation with Harry, but he could never bring himself to say it.

“Liam, what happened that last week was not because I wasn’t sure that I wanted to be with you and Zayn. Hell I was pretty fucking set that we were going to be together. I just felt so hurt because I didn’t feel like you were feeling the same way. When Zayn called me papa I freaked out, but I was going to call. The only reason I didn’t was because I wanted you to decide if you wanted me as much as I wanted you,” Harry has pulled Liam into his side as he combs through the brunette locks.

“I should’ve called,” Liam mumbles.

“I should’ve stayed,” Harry responds as he presses a kiss to Liam’s temple.

“You’re sure,” Liam checks after a few seconds.

“I’ve never been more sure in my short seventeen year old life. I mean the poopy diapers aren’t really ideal, and if I could kiss someone else I probably would, but you’ll do for now,” he chuckles quietly. Zayn snuggles in deeper.

“Harry,” Liam groans as he tries not to laugh.

“Sorry, sorry,” Harry holds a hand up in surrender.

“Just for that you’re on diaper duty for the rest of the weekend,” Liam smirks.

Harry’s mouth drops.

“With him,” he points down to Zayn.

“Who else would it be with,” Liam looks at him like he was crazy.

“Was hoping it was some sort of sex code cause we can’t talk about that stuff around him,” Harry shrugs before letting out a laugh to let Liam know he was kidding.

“You wish I was joking,” Liam chuckles.

Harry feels pressure go into his hand that’s resting on Zayn’s bottom, and a smell enters the bungalow.

“I really do,” he grimaces as he looks down at Zayn who is continuing his peaceful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! I got creative! I would really appreciate some suggestions so I can keep pumping out chapters because I'd like to be on a roll ;) Thanks for reading, I appreciate every read and I love the comments!


	9. The One with the Snuggles

Liam had put Zayn in the bath after a long day of crying. He was getting smaller. A lot smaller. He went down to three feet just from the past week. Liam felt awful for his poor baby, but it was a lot for Liam as well because Zayn was completely against Harry.

Harry was doing his best to help. He made attempts to change diapers and feed bottles, but after five changes of non stop screaming, Liam pushed Harry out of the room and took over.

So as Harry keeps himself occupied in the kitchen of the Payne household. He was fixing together dinner for his boys on this Saturday night. 

“Harry, grab a towel from the laundry,” Liam shouts down the stairs.

Harry switches off the stove before darting to the laundry room to snag a clean towel. It was still warm from the dryer. 

As Harry comes up the stairs he starts to brace himself for what is soon to come. 

Zayn was not a fan of being in cold water, but trying to get him out of the tub was a whole ordeal filled with loads of crying.

When Zayn saw Harry with a towel he began wailing.

“Excuse me mister,” Liam chuckles as he lifts the naked baby from the bath and hands him off to Harry.

“Daddy,” Zayn wails as he reaches out for Liam.

“Oh my, come here, beta,” Liam coos as he pulls the plug on the tub then takes Zayn off of Harry. Liam rubs him down with the towel before carrying him into the nursery.

“Can you grab him a sleeper,” Liam lays Zayn down on the changing table and rubs his pink and flushed skin down with the fluffy towel.

Liam is already fastening on a diaper before Harry steps forward with the white sleeper covered in colorful elephants.

“I’m going to get his food set so he isn’t fussing too much,” Harry tickles Zayn’s tummy before giving Liam a kiss to the temple.

As Liam changes Zayn he notices the faces he makes. It’s obvious that his belly isn’t too settled.

“You’re making your poop face,” Liam chuckles as he zips up Zayn’s sleeper. Of course it seems logical to wait till Zayn goes poop, but it takes anywhere from ten to thirty minutes for Zayn to finally work out a poop.

Liam lifts him gently from the changing table and straightens his sleeper before making his way downstairs to see Harry.

Sitting at the dining table with two bowls of spaghetti. 

“Hello, baby,” Harry coos as he steals Zayn from Liam and sets him into his high chair.

“What did you make,” Liam grins as he sits down at the table next to Harry.

“Some spaghetti for us, and a mashed banana and avocado puree for mister shrinking pains,” Harry chuckles.

“You might not get the best reaction from him tonight,” Liam smiles as he watches Harry fix a bib around the baby’s neck.

“And why not,” Harry hums as he drops a kiss to Zayn’s forehead before sitting in his own chair.

“He’s trying to poop,” Liam shrugged with a little smirk on his lips.

“Oh, well we'll just have to work that out of him after dinner,” Harry makes a smile that anyone who was truly disgusted in there situation would make, but proceeded to charge on.

Harry stirred the mixture around before bringing it to Zayn’s lips The baby took it happily and conversation was allowed to flow smoothly as Harry would eat his own food between each bite Zayn had took.

It was after dinner when Liam had let Zayn go off into the living room by himself. Harry and Liam got to cleaning up the dishes and pans from dinner while Zayn sat down to watch his show that he realized how heavy the pressure was in the back of his bum.

It hurt, it really hurt. He could feel his mess just sitting there, but Zayn was having too much fun with his blocks and show to even fathom the idea of going for a poo. Then daddy or Harry would make him leave his toys, and Zayn was simply not going to do that.

So with his heel up his butt he continued to play.

Though when he saw a nice corner over at the other side of the room he discovered a great spot to continue his playtime, and to get some relief.

He made a quick decision to pull his bin of blocks to the corner next to the fireplace. A moment passed before he braced himself in a squat and pushed into his diaper. His facial expressions changing as his poop pushes against the back of his diaper. It settles into the diaper quite comfortably.

He went on playing with the blocks once finished with his poop. Staying in a crouch, so it wouldn’t spread more on his bum.

Harry entered the living room and immediately came across Zayn. Stuck in his crouch.

He left the room to the foyer, and found the diaper bag, quickly digging through for a diaper and the pack of wipes.

“Hey little man,” Harry called as he walked into the room with his supplies clutched in his left hand.

Zayn looked up from his blocks with a small smile, which Harry returns, but when Zayn sees the diaper his face drops.

“No,” he shouts with a prominent pout.

“What do you mean no,” Harry chuckles.

“No chain,” his voice raises a level.

“Zayn, come here,” Harry called as he went to sit down in front of the coffee table.

“No,” Zayn shouted before going back to his blocks.

“Zayn, we need to change your poopy bum,” Harry says gently as he pats the floor between his legs.

“No, Hawwy,” Zayn bit as he scooted further back in his corner.

Harry took a breath before standing from his spot and waltzing over to Zayn, he pulled the boy up by his armpits.

“No,” Zayn screeched and slammed his hand against Harry’s chest.

Harry stopped for a moment after it occurred. The hit didn’t necessarily hurt him, but Zayn still hit.

“Zayn, look at Harry,” Harry instructs as he pulls the boy’s chin to meet his eyes.

“We do not hit, hitting hurts, you do it again you go in time out,” his scolding tone still had a light softness too it. 

When Harry let the boy stand, it took only a few seconds before he fell to his bottom, and let out a loud screech. His head tilted back, and his feet began to kick like crazy. Tears streamed down his face.

Harry watched Zayn for a second before he set the diaper and wipes down on the coffee table.

“Zayn,” Harry calls to him lightly. The raven haired boy looks up to meet his eyes as he continues to cry.

“I’m gonna go in the kitchen with daddy. When you’re done with your fit you can come get me, and we’ll clean you up,” Harry begins to leave to the kitchen, but he is quickly stopped by a screech directed towards him.

“Stay,” Zayn wailed reaching for Harry.

“I’m gonna go see daddy. When you’re calmed down you can come too, okay,” he hums as he begins to exit the room. Of course Harry still lets his eyes stick to Zayn, but his body is already in the kitchen.

“Seems to not have liked you changing him,” Liam chuckles as Harry enters with an exhausted face.

“Haven’t even gotten to it yet,” Harry huffs as he sits down at the island.

“What do you mean,” Liam hums as he puts away the last dish into the dishwasher before meeting Harry’s eyes.

“I went to change him, and he started throwing a fit, so I told him to get me when he was ready,” Harry shrugs, leaving out the part about being hit.

Liam would lose his shit if he knew about that.

“Hawwy,” Zayn called. Liam and Harry looked towards the kitchen door. Zayn had the diaper and wipes in his hands. The only really out of place thing was his missing sleeper.

“Where are your jammies,” Liam raises a brow as he looks past Harry. Zayn turns and points out towards the living room. His diaper sagging quite a bit.

“Do you still have a poopy in your diaper,” Liam questions. Zayn nods towards his dad with his fingers stuck in his mouth.

“Baba,” he mumbles with some drool coming out around his fingers.

“Go get your jammies, we’ll change your poopy pants, and then you can have your baba,” Liam stares Zayn down for a moment before the boy let’s out a cry.

“I’m not doing that tonight, go get your jammies,” Liam’s face simply said “try me,” and Zayn was not going to even bother.

He stomped off to grab his sleeper.

“How did you do that,” Harry asked astounded.

“I’m not gonna let a two year old walk all over me. If he’s getting an attitude I’m going to tell him to fix it,” Lim shrugs.

Zayn comes back, and tosses the sleeper onto the floor along with his diaper and the wipes box.

“Zayn Javadd, don’t throw things,” Liam scolds. Zayn keeps his pout prominent as he walks over to Harry. His hands up for a cuddle.

“Am I changing your pants or is daddy,” Harry lifts the boy up onto his knee.

“Hawwy,” he huffs as he lays his head down on Harry’s chest.

Harry situates Zayn on the ground, and he manages to change Zayn’s diaper quicker then he has before. He got him into his sleeper as well before putting the diaper into a dirty bag along with the wipes.

“Go get daddy to make your baba,” Harry pat his butt to send him off as he takes the dirty diaper bag out to the garage.

When Harry comes in he sees Zayn sitting at Liam’s feet with Lamby tucked into one arm, and Liam’s joggers gripped tightly in the other fist.

Liam was shaking a bottle of formula for his boy, and brushing his fingers through Zayn’s hair.

Harry lifts the boy from the floor to his hip.

“Are you waiting for your baba,” Harry kisses Zayn’s temple softly, and his legs began to bounce. Zayn’s lip wobbled before he let out a little cry, and laid his head down onto Harry’s shoulder.

“He’s so tired,” Harry smiled as he laid his head lightly onto Zayn’s.

“He’s been having such a tough week,” Liam cooed as he placed the bottle into the warmer.

“When is that appointment again tomorrow,” Harry hummed as he began to sway side to side with the whimpering baby.

“We’ve got to leave at ten,” Liam grabs the bottle off of the warmer, and immediately Zayn’s arms go out for his dad.

“Still daddy’s baby at the end of the night,” Harry hands the boy off to Liam.

“You know it. I’m gonna go put him down, you can head to my room if you’d like,” Liam suggested, and Harry happily followed with Zayn’s lamby in his hand.

Zayn was getting more worked up as Liam wasn’t giving him his bottle right away, but the daddy just continued to pat his baby’s back until he reached the nursery.

“Are you going to burp him, or are you going to get settled in my bed,” Liam opened the top drawer of the changing table to grab one of the many burp rags.

“I’ll take the hit tonight,” Harry grabs the burp rag from Liam to toss over his shoulder.

Liam situates himself down into the rocker, and Harry joins him on the ottoman. He takes Liam’s feet to put onto his lap. Harry’s hands lightly massaging the pads of his feet.

“Thank you,” Liam moans.

“Course,” Harry chirps. They both keep their eyes on Zayn the whole time he suckles away at his bottle, but Zayn can only keep his eyes on his dad.

“He loves you,” Harry’s eyes turn soft as he focuses on Zayn.

“I love him,” Liam responds lightly before checking the measurement on the bottle. When Liam pulls out the bottle, Zayn lets out a loud cry and tries to force it back in his mouth.

“Give it a second, beta,” Liam passes Zayn over to Harry, and the brunette tilts the boy over his shoulder. The heel of his hand dug into Zayn’s back while he attempted to coax up a burp. Zayn lets out a few cries of distress.

“Baba,” he wails trying to turn for his daddy.

“Just one burp,” Harry coos as he digs his hand down.

“Maybe try bouncing him,” Liam questions as he doesn’t like seeing his boy that unsettled. Harry takes Liam’s feet off of his lap, then rises from the ottoman with Zayn.

He begins to bounce his knees while rocking side to side. It takes a few seconds, but finally a burp comes up, and Harry passes him off to Liam, so he can finish his bottle.

As the night was coming to a close, Harry had went to bed after he burped Zayn, and Liam rocked his baby until completely asleep. 

Then he was in the kitchen putting away the dishes. He cleaned the counters, and put away Zayn’s toys. 

It wasn’t till eleven did Liam finally settle into bed, and in an instant a warm body wrapped around his.

**************************

Liam and Harry were rushing around in the morning to get to the doctors. Liam was packing Zayn’s diaper bag while Harry changed his diaper.

Or well tried to change his diaper. 

The baby was not having it, and neither was Liam. 

“Let me do it,” Liam huffed as he saw Harry was barely making a dent on Zayn’s morning diaper.

“I know how to change a diaper,” Harry rolled his eyes.

“You’re not going fast enough. He doesn’t like it,” Liam hovered over Harry’s shoulder.

“Probably because you are yelling at me,” Harry bit.

“You know what, go get the car warmed up. You’re not changing him if you’re mad,” Liam tries to nudge Harry out of the way.

“I’m not mad, I’m trying to change his diaper, and I have not one, but two people screaming in my face,” he rebuked after taking a step away from the changing table to head over to the closet.

“You’re okay baby,” Liam cooed as he cleaned off Zayn’s bum in a lot calmer way. 

“Here’s his clothes,” Harry snapped when passing Liam a long sleeve white onesie, green leggings with black stars on them, and white socks.

“Is Harry mad at daddy? I think so,” Liam cooed down at Zayn as he finally strapped on a clean diaper. 

Zayn was giggling with his daddy, reaching to caress his jaw. Harry’s bad mood was the whole reason for Zayn’s screaming and crying.

“Harry is mad at daddy,” Harry can’t help but smile as he watches on.   
He was just a bit scared this morning. He cut himself while shaving. Usually his blood would be red, but when he went to put a patch of toilet paper over it, purple came off on his fingers. Meaning that his caregiver side was taking over him.

Zayn knew it very well. He could sense Harry changing. Harry was changing for him.

“You ready to go,” Liam tickled at Zayn’s now covered tummy before pulling the leggings up Zayn’s legs, and slipping his socks onto his feet.

“Okay, let’s go see Doctor Pratt,” Liam heaved Zayn up to his chest, and pat his back. Liam brought Zayn down into the kitchen with Harry following close behind. The baby was laid down into his car seat, and began to fit the straps over his arms. 

Zayn was not happy about the idea of something constricting him. He began to wail quite loudly.

“Hey, you’re alright, beta,” Liam cooed. Harry watched with soft, sad eyes for a moment before digging through the diaper bag on his shoulder, and pulling out Zayn’s favorite soother.

“Here, mister,” Harry said calmly as he pushed the pacifier past Zayn’s lips. Instantly his crying stilled. He reached out to cling to Harry’s hand.

“Is that better? Did Harry make you feel all better,” Liam took the grey wool blanket off of the table, and began to fit it around Zayn’s legs to keep him warm.

Harry slowly wiggled his finger out of Zayn’s grip before lifting the carrier off of the table to take out to the car.

When they arrived at the practice, Zayn was asleep in his car seat, his pacifier still bobbing slowly under his nose.

“Should we wake him,” Harry whispered while unhooking the car seat from the car. Liam had the diaper bag tossed over his shoulder.

“If I can keep him asleep during the shots, then I ‘ll be happy,” Liam shrugged as he peered into the carrier at Zayn before heading into the practice.

“I’m gonna go sit down, try to keep him asleep,” Harry murmured as he pressed a kiss to Liam’s temple, and headed to settle into the waiting room.

Liam checked his boy before joining his little family over in the waiting room. 

“Zayn,” a nurse in light blue scrubs peers into the waiting room with a smile. Liam smiles back at him, and Harry lifts the carrier up off of the floor. They get led back to an examination room. Colorful cartoon fish cover the wall. 

“He needs to be undressed for the weighing, and such,” the nurse stated sweetly. Harry set the carrier on the floor, and worked to get the boy out of his carrier. Harry brought him up to lay with the blanket underneath him, and Liam began to undress him.

When the onesie went over Zayn’s head, the baby woke up. 

“Good morning,” Liam cooed down towards his son. Zayn’s eyes darted around the room. He was somewhere different then where he went to sleep. Someone new was in the room as well.

“Dada,” Zayn wailed loudly.

“Oh my, okay,” Liam cooed. Harry pulled out the pacifier from the car seat to stick in Zayn’s mouth.

“Alright, you can just come with me,” the nurse motioned to the door, and Liam leaned down to pick up the almost bare baby, and covered him with the warm blanket.

“Okay, I just need you to set him up here for me,” she made sure the scale was set, and ready before letting Liam move forward to lay his boy down without the blanket. Zayn let out a very loud cry when his dad separated from him in this unfamiliar place.

“Zayn, love bug,” Harry stood near Zayn’s head in an attempt to get the baby to soothe.

“Okay, well look at that, a healthy 28 pound baby,” the nurse smiled as Zayn cried to be held.

“I know darling, just a little measure to track your height,” the nurse cooed as she pat the next place, and let Liam move him over to the measuring table.

“Okay, if you could just stretch him out a bit,” Harry took Zayn’s hands while Liam gently held his legs so they couldn’t squirm.

“36 inches, oh my,” the nurse cooed.

“Alright you can head back to the exam room, and Doctor Pratt will be in shortly,” she smiles. Liam lifts his baby up to his chest, and takes the blanket off of his shoulder to wrap around Zayn.

“You’re not a happy boy today, are you,” Liam hummed as he peppered a few kisses into Zayn’s cheek.

“Are you,” he cooed while giving Zayn a few more kisses. Zayn fussed in Liam’s arms before reaching over for Harry.

“No he’s not,” Harry chuckled as he took Zayn from Liam. He pressed a kiss into Zayn’s cheek before it hit Harry’s shoulder for a cuddle.

“Cuddly baby,” Harry smiled as he sat down in a chair. Liam joined him a moment after.

A knock was heard on the door a moment after before Doctor Pratt appeared. In a second, Zayn was clinging to Liam.

“Hello, Zayn. Look at you,” Pratt cooed a bit astounded because the last time he saw Zayn he was at least a foot or two taller.

“Liam, do you want to sit up on my table with him,” Doctor Pratt lightly suggested, and Liam happily moved to settle onto the table.

“Good to see you Harry,” Doctor Pratt smiled.

“You as well,” he nodded with a grin.

“Alright that’s enough attention off the big man. How’s he been doing lately? Any concerns,” Doctor Pratt is pulling down Zayn’s blanket from his chest a little as he begins to get his stethoscope situated.

“Just growing pains. He’s been crying quite a lot lately, but I sort of expected it,” Liam shrugged.

“Of course, I can see he’s definitely close to his final height. I’m thinking a few more inches and he’s going to be finished,” Pratt smiled as Zayn flinched at the cold head of the stethoscope.

“Oh, Brr,” Doctor Pratt cooed towards Zayn, and the baby got a little laugh. Doctor Pratt dragged the stethoscope across Zayn’s chest, and he dragged it behind his back as well.

“He’s got a beautiful heartbeat,” Doctor Pratt grinned as he pulled away the stethoscope.

“Hawwy,” Zayn mumbled around his pacifier.

“What’s wrong, buddy,” Harry cooed as he came over to the examination table. He reached forward to grab Doctor Pratt’s stethoscope, and Liam held his hand back.

“You want to listen to Harry’s heart,” Doctor Pratt took the stethoscope off of his neck to hand to Zayn. He helps settle the stethoscope into Zayn’s ears.

“Alright tell Harry to breathe in,” Doctor Pratt helped guide the stethoscope across Harry’s chest, and the baby smiled and giggled at the sound he heard.

“Zayn, let’s have Doctor Pratt look at your eyes now,” Harry pulled the stethoscope off of his chest.

“Good idea Harry, could be a Doctor yourself,” Doctor Pratt praised in an over exaggerated tone to make the baby laugh.

“Okay Zayn, now let me have a glance at your eyes. Can you follow my friend Mr. Light without moving your head,” Doctor Pratt watched as Zayn followed the light easily.

“Good boy,” he cooed, and gave a tummy tickle. He then moved on to look in Zayn’s throat and ears. He pulled out his diaper in the front and back to make sure everything was looking good.

“A very healthy boy. We just have a couple of vaccines to finish him off then we’ll send you lads on your way,” he smiled.

“The nurse will be right in,” the boys’ hearts dropped, but Zayn continued to play with his daddy’s hands. 

“Boo,” Harry pulled his hands off of his eyes to make Zayn laugh. He successfully got a giggle. The nurse came in after a knock, and she laid her kit out in a corner of the room. With washed hands and gloves, the first needle was snapped by a finger.

“Okay, this is just going to go right into his thigh,” the nurse said gently, and Liam stood the nurse had easier access. It was about a second after the prick before Zayn began to wail.

“It’s okay baby,” Liam cooed as the nurse made one last prick. Zayn was wailing loudly in distress from the small trauma.

“I’ll leave you two be, but he did a wonderful job,” she reassured them before going to leave the exam room.

“Can you get a clean diaper out for him,” Liam questioned as he laid Zayn down on the examination table with his cozy grey wool blanket underneath his back.

When Liam went to change him, Zayn screeched.

“Hawwy,” he shouted trying to reach out for Harry.

“You’re okay,” Harry said softly as he began to clean up the wet diaper and redress him into his clothes from prior. Harry heaved him up to his chest, and wrapped the blanket around his back.

“It’s okay little love,” Liam cooed as he leaned over Harry’s shoulder to press a chaste kiss against his baby’s earlobe.

Liam went for the diaper bag, and swung it over his shoulder before taking the empty car seat as well.

Harry carried Zayn out as tightly snuggled to his chest as he could get the baby. Harry let his fingers tickle Zayn’s back softly while the boy cried into his shoulder.

Harry didn’t even wait for Liam to finish checking them out before he left the office with Zayn. The baby wasn’t comfortable. It was plain for anyone to see, and Harry didn’t need the judgemental eyes of other parents watching him try to soothe a baby that he wasn’t even professionally assigned too.

“Come on, you’re okay,” Harry murmured against the shell of Zayn’s ears as his knees bounced in the windy weather. Part of it was to soothe Zayn, the other part was to keep him warm.

“Shh, shh,” Harry let his hand fall into a continuous beat of light taps.

Liam made his way out to the car with Zayn’s folder full of paperwork clutched in his hand.

“He’s still going at it,” Liam pouted as he tucked the diaper bag into the car before shoving the manila folder into the bag, and snapping the car seat into its base.

“He’s going to need a nap when we get home,” Liam subsided as Harry laid Zayn into his car seat. Harry wasn’t even letting his chest disconnect until the baby’s back hit the padding of the seat. 

“Lover,” Harry cooed in an attempt to calm Zayn while snapping the straps on before taking the blanket to drape over the boy to warm him. 

Harry didn’t even bother the passenger seat, he climbed in beside Zayn. His fingers combing through Zayn’s dark locks.

By the time they arrived home, Zayn was not done crying. He wanted to be held. He wanted to be cuddled.

Zayn was still a bit shook up from the shots.

Liam took the car seat from the car to the kitchen. The baby was screeching in need to be coddled.

Liam took over Zayn for a few moments. He walked him around the house in attempts to soothe him. It was bouncing, swaying, rocking, the works.

Zayn could not settle. 

“Darling, you’re alright,” Liam cooed as he rocked Zayn in the living room. 

Harry watched on painfully. He knew that if he stepped in, Liam could either be thrilled or pissed.

He didn’t want Liam to be mad when he was already stressed.

“Do you think he could be hungry,” Harry calls from the couch as he watches Liam try to stop the cries.

“God, I forgot the schedule,” Liam groans.

“I’ll fix him a bottle,” Harry lifted himself from the couch and made his way to the warming bag inside of the diaper bag. It wasn’t that long anyways, so the bottle was still fresh enough for Zayn to eat.

“Can you take him,” Liam sighed as he remained bouncing his knees.

“Course,” Harry grinned as he had the baby shifted into his arms.

“Did you get a burp rag or bib,” Liam’s brow furrowed as he looked over Harry.

“I forgot,” Harry huffs as he looks over himself.

“I’ll get it,” Liam murmurs as he goes to the diaper bag and pulls out the necessities. Liam tossed the rag over Harry’s shoulder before bending down to strap a bib around Zayn’s neck.

“Thank you,” Harry puckered his lips, but Liam waved him off as he crashed on the couch across from him.

“Alright then,” Harry chuckled as he watched Liam pass out. 

“Let’s leave daddy to sleep,” Harry cooed as he looked down upon the boy who’s cries were finally silenced.

He lifted himself from the sofa to head towards the nursery.

Once inside it was some brief shifting before the two had a comfortable position in the rocker.

=======================================================

“H, you coming to bed,” Liam was propped against the wooden door to the nursery. It seemed like the hundredth time he had been in this place.

Harry was starting to nod off.

“No, no, I’m fine,” Harry murmured as he kept the sleeping babe wrapped tightly against his chest.

“Haz, it’s three am,” Liam smiled as he crossed the room the sit down on the ottoman next to Harry’s feet.

“Really Li, I’m fine,” Harry smiled lazily. Liam nodded with a bit of angst before standing and pressing a kiss to Zayn’s head, then dipping down to peck Harry.

“You have to come to bed sometime,” he mumbled as he left the room.

“I will, I will,” Harry was letting his eyes begin to close.

“Goodnight,” Liam shook his head with a small smile playing on his face.

Harry and Zayn snuggled into one another.

Neither of them were going anywhere.


	10. The One Where Harry is in Charge

Harry was finally finding his place back into the Payne household after his week of absence. The trip away was much needed to ensure that he deserved to be by Liam’s side. The task at hand was going to test Harry though. Because he was a lovely caregiver when Liam was around, but today he was going to have Zayn all to himself. 

See Liam had a few appointments scheduled to check on his kidney. It’s been poor since before his mother can remember. 

Geoff and Karen had work, so Harry bravely stepped in to take care of Zayn. 

So right now that was what he was doing, or trying to do.

“Li, babes, he’s going to be fine,” Harry reassured as Liam was staring longingly at his baby in the travel crib over in the corner of the Payne living room.

“How do I know that,” Liam snapped at Harry.

“Hey, calm down okay? I’ve been helping you for ages, trust me,” Harry tpok Liam’s hand in his own as he searched for some sort of realization in his eyes.

Liam took a breath to calm himself before he nodded,

“You’ll call me if anything goes wrong?”

“Nothing will go wrong, but yes I will,” Harry leaned forward to meet his boy in a careful kiss.

Of course he was never going to tell Liam that he was nervous as well.

“Go before you can change your mind,” Harry gave Liam a little pat to the butt before sending him out the door.

Liam took one last look at his peacefully sleeping baby before finally deciding it was time to leave, so off he went with nerves running up and down his back.

Harry took a few seconds to himself as he scrolled through the media before going through the fridge to find a bottle for Zayn. He placed it on the warmer while putting some toast in the toaster, and getting a banana from the bunch over near the window.

When the bottle dinged, Harry heard some low crying come from the living room.

“Somebody’s awake,” Harry called as he made his way into the living room. 

“Good morning,” Harry cooed as he lugged Zayn up by his armpits to rest on his hip.

“Dada,” Zayn glanced around the living room, but he came across nothing.

“Dada is at the doctors,” Harry was already carting Zayn over to the couch. He had a few diapers and a box of wipes on the coffee table beside him.

“No no no,” Zayn mumbled as his eyes widened.

“Don’t worry, you won’t have to see the doctors for another month or two,” he grinned before pressing a kiss to his head. 

He laid the boy down onto the sofa.

“Let’s see what we’ve got this morning,” Harry pulled the buttons apart near the crotch until he came across a slightly swollen diaper. He pushed Zayn’s legs out of the sleeper, and lifted him for the sleeper to be tucked underneath his back. Gently the diaper tabs were unfastened from the side.

“Lamby,” Zayn squirmed, and Harry quickly grabbed Zayn’s ankles, so his feet didn’t get covered in pee. The diaper was removed from underneath him, and a clean diaper was placed down.

“We’ll get Lamby in a minute bubba,” Harry pushed Zayn’s legs up to his chest as he took a wipe to clean him off. Harry was quick to fasten on a clean diaper, and get Zayn situated into his sleeper once again.

Harry carried Zayn over to the travel crib to place him down for a moment so he can dispose of the diaper and dirty wipes.

 

When returning, Zayn was standing in the crib with his lamby clutched in his hand.

 

“Come here,” Harry cooed as he lifted the boy from the crib, and walked over to the couch. He made himself comfortable then propped his knees up on the coffee table, and laid Zayn back against them.

His fingers tickled over his clothed tummy in attempts to get a small smile. Zayn wasn’t amused at the moment.

Zayn gurgled out a string of baby babbles as his feet curled up.

“Your morning sounds much more eventful than mine,” Harry nuzzled his nose against Zayn’s cheek before peppering soft kisses against the skin that holds a little heat from being the side he slept on.

“Good morning,” Harry leaned back to look on Zayn. He straightened out the sleeper on the baby’s body.

Without the kisses, Zayn’s lips dropped to a pout before he softly cried out of displeasure.

“Okay, okay,” Harry chuckled as he leaned down to pepper more kisses across Zayn’s cheek. His crying ceased immediately.

“You’re gonna take all of my kisses this morning, aren’t you,” Harry bubbled as he nuzzled his nose into Zayn’s cheek. 

When Harry pulled away, Zayn’s cries started once again.

“Goodness gracious,” he leans down and gives more kisses to quickly shush the baby. 

Harry pulled away, and Zayn’s lip began to wobble.

“Hey, hey,” Harry coos as he tickles Zayn’s tummy. The boy wasn’t really in a tummy tickle mood this morning though. His tummy was empty and Harry was denying him cuddles.

He cried out, and Harry was quick to meet him with some more kisses.

“My lips are going to be gone by the end of today, aren’t they,” he hummed as another kiss was pressed against Zayn’s nose before he tilted the boy up to lie on his chest. 

With a bit of maneuvering he managed to get himself off of the couch to the kitchen. Harry didn’t stop pressing kisses to the baby’s cheeks as he came across the warmed bottle.

When Zayn saw his bottle his eyes lit up. He reached out in attempts to grab it.

“Hold it,” Harry laughed as he pulled Zayn’s hand up to his lips and pressed a light kiss to it.

“Baba,” Zayn pouted as he pushed Harry’s face away from his own.

He wanted his food.

“I need to grab a bib and a burp rag, mister. Then we’ll settle for your baba,” Harry smiled while pulling out a bib from the drawer beside the bottle warmer, then taking a burp rag from the laundry basket on the table.

Zayn fussed as the bib was fastened around his neck, but Harry chose to pay him no mind.

He kept the bottle out of Zayn’s reach while making his way into the living room. Harry fell back into the plush couch before shifting Zayn into the crook of his arm, and nudging the bottle between the baby’s lips.

“What a big boy! Look how good you’re eating. Gonna get nice and strong,” Harry crooned down upon the baby, and in return received quite the smile. 

His hand fell to pat Zayn’s bum with the intention to soothe him, and luckily it was working. 

Zayn took hold of Harry’s shirt through his small fingers, and clung to him strongly. He may have just been asleep moments ago, but it felt as if he was starting to drift off again. Harry played with Zayn’s feet to keep him up.

“Don’t fall asleep yet. You just woke up, lover,” Harry cooed as he tickled a hand against Zayn’s belly. The boy squirmed from displeasure.

“I know, I know, it would be much nicer to go to sleep, but you have to eat,” Harry sighed as he shifted the boy up against his shoulder, and wined the baby until he received a light burp.

Harry had Zayn finish off the bottle before once again winding the baby.

“How about we take a walk? Would you like that? Get some fresh air before it gets too cold for you to go on walks,” Harry hummed as he stood from the couch with a drowsy boy tucked into his elbow. Harry took the bib from around Zayn’s neck, and he gently wiped around the corners of the boy’s mouth.

Harry climbed the stairs with Zayn in his arms, he entered the nursery, and did his best to hurry Zayn into some warm clothes. With the baby on his hip, he entered Liam’s room to riffle through his closet before pulling out a slightly thicker jacket. 

He carted the boy into the garage over to the stroller. He settled Zayn down before buckling him in.

“You ready,” Harry tugged Zayn’s beanie down to cover his ears.

“Ride,” Zayn mumbled as he leaned back into the stroller.

“You’ve got that right,” Harry smiled as he rose after pressing a chaste kiss to Zayn’s nose. The baby enjoyed himself while they were out. He glanced around at the leaves beginning to fall, and he was happy to hear the crunching of said leaves beneath the wheels of the stroller.

It was obvious to see that Zayn was going a bit stir crazy after spending so much time cooped up inside that house. He hadn’t been feeling too good do to his teeth coming in, so this walk was much appreciated.

 

But the peace was not meant to last for long as the baby quickly got irritated of sitting for such a long time without much human interaction.

“Hawwy,” Zayn cried out in annoyance. The stroller came to a stop, and Harry kicked down the brakes.

“Hello, little man,” Harry smiled as he crouched in front of the stroller.

“How’s the ride,” he hummed as he gave Zayn a little tummy tickle.

“Out,” Zayn pouted as he fussed against the straps. 

“You want out,” Harry grinned.

“Out.” Zayn whined as he tried to pull apart the straps. 

“Alright, alright. Let’s get to the park at least. Only a few more minutes,” Harry pushed the stroller on while listening to the baby screech and babble for his release.

When they arrived, Harry was quick to let the boy free from his stroller, then the baby was on the move. Harry following close behind while pushing the stroller. 

This was what Zayn needed to help with his stir craziness. He let his legs stretch properly for the first time in a long while. But as he got further in front, Harry got more nervous.

“Zee, come here,” Harry waved him over. Zayn went on as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

“Zayn,” Harry called again with a bit of an edge to his voice, and the baby finally looked up.

“Come hold my hand or the stroller please,” Harry’s voice was gentle. Zayn sighed as he stomped over and wrapped his hand around Harry’s long fingers.

“Are you getting sleepy,” Harry smirked as he saw the babe pout.

“No,” Zayn whined as he tugged Harry along down the path.

“Alright, then shall we have lunch before nap,” Harry looked down to his side to see a little gray beanie waddling beside him.

“Cake,” Zayn nodded.

“We can’t have cake for lunch! I think we’ll have some fruit, some veggies, maybe some crackers,” Harry listed off as he took them down the path that would lead them from the park.

“Do we need to change your diaper when we get home,” Harry asked as he made his way out of the park to the sidewalk that would lead them home from the short lived walk.

“Diapew,” Zayn mumbled as he looked at his hips.

“Yeah, do you have a dirty diaper,” Harry hummed as they made it into the garage. Zayn didn’t answer him as he already made his way to the garage door. 

Harry pulled the baby up by his armpits to rest on his hip before he opened the door to the house. He did a little check of his diaper before deeming it in need of a change.

“Go find your diaper and wipes,” he gave Zayn a pat on the butt before sending him off.

Harry made his way into the kitchen, and began to scavenge around for food to settle Zayn’s tummy before he put him down for a nap. He managed to cut up a banana to toss into a bowl, along with some carrots. Buttercrisp crackers were drawn from a packet as well. 

He took a sippy cup from the cupboard to fill with water.

“Zayn,” Harry called as he set the food out on the baby’s high chair. The little boy appeared moments later.

“Where is your diaper and clothes,” Harry chuckled as he was met by a completely naked baby.

“Off,” Zayn tried to get himself in his high chair, but Harry pulled him back.

“Show Harry where you put your diaper,” Harry sighed as he realized that this could be a bad thing.

“Eat,” Zayn pointed to his tray with a bit of a whine in his throat.

“Where did you put your diaper,” Harry tugged him along to the living room. Zayn smiled as he began to lead Harry around the house. It seemed like a wild goose chase as the boy dragged them around the kitchen at least three times, but then they stopped in the bathroom where Zayn pointed to the trash.

There in the half bathroom trash was Zayn’s dirty diaper.

“Good boy,” Harry cooed.

“Did you wipe,” Harry hummed, even though he had a pretty good feeling Zayn didn’t.

“Yes,” Zayn nodded proudly.

“Why didn’t you put on a new diaper,” Harry hummed as he took the boy from the bathroom to the living room. 

“No need too,” Zayn pouts.

“I won’t make you wear clothes, but you need a diaper,” Harry wiped at the boy’s bottom and willy with a few wipes before strapping on a mickey mouse diaper.

“No,” Zayn whined as he tugged on his diaper.

“Zayn, don’t touch that diaper,” Harry scolded as he pulled the boy up onto his hip.

“Off,” his eyes starting to cloud up a bit.

“Zayn, timeout is still a possibility. Keep it on,” Harry warned as he slid the boy into his seat. He strapped a bib around Zayn’s neck just to keep them both safe from his messy nature.

Zayn looked down at the array of food before deciding if his fight was really worth it to continue. He munched on the few crackers to begin with, and then the banana, but today he wasn’t feeling the carrots, so he left them on the tray. 

Of course Harry noticed.

“Zayn you love carrots,” Harry watched on softly as Zayn tipped him sippy back for a large gulp.

“No,” Zayn shook his head in distaste.

“Why don’t you have one,” Harry hummed. He wasn’t asking much of the boy because of how tiny he had cut up the already small carrots.

“No want,” Zayn screeched.

“You have to try one Zayn, if you don’t want them after that then you don’t have to,” Harry held the carrot to Zayn’s lips as he fussed away in his seat with a tight lip. After only a few moments, Zayn gave in and he took the carrot. He swallowed sorrowfully.

“Good boy,” Harry praised.

“No mo,” Zayn whined. His tears were beginning to cloud his eyes.

“No more, you had one,” Harry wiped over Zayn’s face with a wet wipe while the boy fussed back before lifting him up to his hip.

He fetched Lamby from the travel crib before hiking up the stairs.

Zayn could sense what was coming, and he was not thrilled. He began to cry and twist in Harry’s arms.

“No Ni Ni,” he sobbed trying to free himself from Harry.

“It’s okay,” Harry cooed as he let him grip tighten slightly to keep the boy safe.

“No Nuh Ni,” he screeched as Harry set him down in the crib. He handed Lamby in to Zayn.

“I’ll see you in a few hours, little man,” Harry laid Zayn down onto his back, and tucked the lamb into his arm.

“Dada,” he sobbed while sitting up.

“Dada will be home soon darling,” Harry laid the baby down once again before pressing a kiss to Zayn’s forehead. 

Harry went across the hall to take the monitor from Liam’s room. 

He could hear Zayn forcefully crying out to get free from his crib, so the volume happened to be turned down just a tad as he went to clean the house up from all the baby antics.

Harry kept himself busy with cleaning up the dishes and folding laundry.

=================================================

Harry was a bit shocked when Zayn woke up. Because it wasn’t his normal cooing or light crying for comfort. It was this ear piercing screech that had Harry shooting up the stairs to the nursery.

“Daddy,” he screamed as Harry pushed open the door. Immediately Harry looked over the situation, and he almost gagged.

There was poop all over Zayn’s blankets and no doubt up his back.

“Daddy,” Zayn screeched in distress. Harry looked around the room for a few moments to find a towel from the bath hanging over Zayn’s closet door. He nabbed it to lay over the changing pad before going over to the wailing baby.

“You’re okay, Zee. You’re okay,” Harry cooed as he lifted boy up at arm's length. Zayn let his dirty legs wiggle in annoyance, and his body twisted side to side.

“Zayn, I need you to relax okay? Do you want paci,” Harry hums as he lays the boy down onto the towel carefully.

“Daddy,” he wailed kicking his legs. His dirty hands hooking to Harry’s once clean white shirt. Harry grimaced as he pulled apart the dirty digits from his shirt.

“I know, daddy will be back soon,” Harry cooed as he took Zayn’s hands in his and wiped off his fingers. He decided it would be best to just stay in his poo covered shirt while cleaning off the baby. 

 

He took wipes to Zayn’s legs, and held him up to wipe off his back as well. The baby could not stop crying, and Harry wasn’t going to force him too. He knows he would be acting the same way if he woke up with poop running down his legs and up his back.

“It’s okay bubba,” Harry cooed as he laid the boy down onto his back. Harry was careful as he peeled open the diaper, because it was covered in a bit of poop as well. 

For some reason unknown to everyone, Zayn reached down to touch his willy, and poop ended up all over his hands. 

“Zayn,” Harry shouted, eliciting more cries from the already frightened boy. It was a yell more out of shock at the boy then anger, but Zayn didn’t know that.

Zayn let his hands cling to Harry’s shirt as the man did his best to clean up the dirty bum.

“Woah,” Liam appeared from the doorway. Harry turned around to see the man, and Liam was about to gag.

“H, what happened,” Liam glanced over to the crib, then back to his boyfriend with Zayn’s poopy hands clinging to his shirt.

“He woke up screaming, and I came in to find out his diaper exploded all over his crib,” Harry huffed as he was pulling mush off of Zayn back into the dirty diaper.

“I’m going to get a bottle ready,” Liam spoke to himself as he scurried out of the room. Zayn never even realized his dad was present. He was focused on getting clean.

Liam took it upon himself to put the bottle onto the warmer, then he began to fill the farmer sink up with some warm water. He grabbed a bath toys that he picked up from the shops a couple of weeks ago, but he never got to it. Baby soaps and shampoos accompanied the toys over to the sink full of warm water. 

Liam listened in to the monitor, and the crying was lessening. He took that as his time to head up to find how Harry had been finding his way with the dirty diaper.

“All cleaned up,” Harry cooed as he strapped on a new diaper, the pads of his thumb being used to wipe away the tears. Zayn was quick to snuggle into a shirtless Harry.

“You did so well,” Harry pressed as he planted a couple of kisses into the boy’s cheeks.

“Can daddy have a cuddle,” Liam hummed, and Zayn’s eyes widened before he caught sight of Liam.

“Daddy!”

“Beta,” Liam shouted in the same tone of excitement. 

“Liam,” Harry copied as he jumped on the brunette.

“Oh dear Lord,” Liam choked out as he was covered in kisses by his boyfriend and baby.

“No more, no more,” Liam chuckled as he did his best to wriggle free. 

“Come here, Zee,” Liam pulled Zayn up to sit on his hip.

“Come on, H,” Liam held his hand out to hook Harry.

“What did you do,” Harry’s brows quirked in confusion. He smile grew when he came across the bath that Liam prepared.

“I don’t think I’m going to fit babes, but it was a sweet gesture,” Harry smirked before pressing a peck into Liam’s cheek, and giving him a squeeze around the waist.

“It’s not for you, you knob,” Liam laughed. Harry pressed a few more kisses to Liam’s lips as the brunette moved to stand Zayn in the sink full of water. Liam pulled the diaper off of Zayn’s hips before lowering him to sit into the warm water.

Liam cupped water into his hand then poured it over Zayn’s head to wet his hair.

“Daddy,” Zayn grinned up at Liam.

“I missed you beta,” Liam murmured as he pressed a kiss against the shell of Zayn’s ear.

Little did Liam know that Harry had escaped to clean up the nursery. He was to entranced by Zayn to pay even a moment of his mind to the things going on around him. 

It had been almost two weeks since he had been separated from Zayn, and in all honesty he isn’t sure how he’s going to cope back at school. Because being without Zayn hurt. It mentally and physically hurt to be seperated for that long.

Liam took a squishy octopus and squeezed it just enough to get a bit of water on Zayn’s tummy.

“Dad,” Zayn giggled as he pushed the toy away. Then he glanced around before hooking his hand on a dolphin. He squeezed it at Liam, but the only thing that came out was air.

“Nice try, here,” Liam took the toy, and he filled it with water before letting Zayn squeeze it against the back of the sink. He let the baby continue on with that while he lathered his hands up with some Johnson & Johnson baby wash.

Zayn let his hands slam down on the water, and giggled as it splashed over his tummy and face.

He rubbed it into Zayn’s flushed skin until the baby smelled fresh. He did the same with shampoo, but Zayn did some light fussing to let his daddy know that wasn’t something he was too thrilled about.

“You just need to be clean,” Liam bit his lip so he wouldn’t laugh at his son’s pout.

“No thank you,” Zayn shook his head.

“It’s a little too late, love, but beautiful manners. Was that Harry’s doing,” Liam chuckled as he tilted Zayn’s head back to pour some water over his head for the last rinse of his soapy hair.

“Lub Hawwy,” Zayn murmured as his fingers found their place to his mouth.

“And Harry loves you. Almost as much as daddy loves you,” Liam chuckled as he pulled a towel up off of the table, and he threw it over his shoulder before lifting Zayn up to stand. 

He took the towel off of his shoulder before drying him off a little bit before snuggling him into the towel before lifting him out of the sink to sit on his hip.

Liam snagged a clean diaper, and the bottle of lotion off of the counter before pulling the plug on the sink. 

He laid the boy down onto the floor with the towel beneath him.

“Lamby,” Zayn sat up.

“Did Lamby get poo in his fur,” Liam pouted as he rubbed the towel over his back to get some water off of him.

“No, all keen,” Zayn nodded to himself. Liam laughed to himself as he heard Zayn copy Harry’s mannerism.

“Alright, well I need to get some lotion on you, and a diaper too. You want a snack,” Liam laid the boy back down as his back as he began to rub some lotion into his soft skin. Zayn twisted slightly irritable.

“You’re alright, babes,” Liam fit a diaper around his hips.

“No,” Zayn cried out before letting tears fall. He pushed himself up off the towel. Liam watched him as he made his way out of the kitchen.

“Hawwy,” Liam hears, and he can’t help the smile that crosses his features. Peering out into the living room he can see that Zayn had found his buddy. 

It took less then a second for the boy to be lifted for his ritual cuddles that happened almost every ten seconds.

Harry had the baby draped over his chest. He was in Liam’s fluorescent yellow sweatshirt, and Zayn had taken it tightly in his grip.

“Daddy keen,” Zayn sobbed as he snuggled into Harry.

“Oh you poor babe,” Harry carded his fingers through Zayn’s dark locks. Harry caught Liam’s eye, and he let his lips tug into a smirk as Liam tried not to laugh.

His baby was so dramatic.

“Here’s his paci,” Liam whispered as he passed over the green soother. 

Harry wiggled the pacifier between Zayn’s lips, and luckily he began to suckle at it. 

“Poor baby,” he pressed a kiss to Zayn’s temple.

“Where’s Lamby,” Liam hummed as he saw Harry continuing to rock his baby.

“I put him in your bed,” Harry smiled as he snuggled the baby tighter against his chest.

“I think you’re going to squish him,” Liam chuckled.

“Hawwy,” Zayn mumbled as he was beginning to let his eyes close.

“Sweet pea,” Harry pressed a kiss to his head.

“Did he sleep at all,” Liam’s brow furrowed as he saw Harry beginning to sit down on the couch.

“I put him down maybe thirty minutes before you got home, then he woke up screaming because of his diaper,” Harry’s voice was lowering as he got comfortable on the couch.

Liam rushed up the stairs to grab Lamby, but he also got a fluffy comforter in his hands as well. 

He tossed the comforter and Lamby at Harry before rushing to the kitchen.

“What has gotten into you,” Harry calls with a laugh stuck in his throat.

Liam grabbed some chips from the pantry, and took some water bottles too.

“Get cozy,” Liam dropped to the couch beside Harry. He pressed a kiss to his lips before pressing a kiss to Zayn’s cheek as the boy had buried himself into Harry’s neck.

“We having a snuggle night,” Harry smirked.

“You bet.”


	11. The One With the Names

“Good morning, sunshine! Good morning,” Liam coos. Zayn was happy for once this morning. He was bouncing in his crib with a soother barely staying in his mouth.

Liam leans over the crib, and Zayn’s takes hold of his cheeks to give him an open mouthed kiss over his closed mouth.

“Oh thank you,” Liam chuckles he lifts Zayn from his crib.

“Daddy,” Zayn caresses Liam’s growing scruff.

“You’re so sweet today,” Liam smiles as he takes the boy’s hand from his face and kisses his palm.

Liam carts the baby over to his changing table and lays him down. 

“We’re gonna go see Uncle Lou and Auntie El today,” Liam tried to settle Zayn as he cleaned up his baby, but Zayn could care less as he babbled on to himself. 

“Harry is making breakfast,” Liam speaks aloud to himself.

“Hawwy,” Zayn perks up.

“Is that who you’re looking for,” Liam hums as he zips up Zayn’s striped sleeper before taking him on his hip down to the kitchen.

Harry was fixing together some toaster waffles for the lot before they got ready to head over to Lou and El’s. They knew that Zayn needed some socialization before it was time to head back to school, and the Tomlinson family was perfectly loud enough for Zayn.

Zayn began to squirm and squabble in his own language against Liam’s chest. Liam was gentle as he placed the boy down onto his feet.

“Go get Harry,” Liam gave Zayn a little tap of the bum, and that was enough for Zayn to scramble into the kitchen. Liam was only a few steps behind him to make sure Zayn didn’t hurt himself.

The boy made a lot of garbles that were loud enough to draw Harry’s attention.

“Bubba,” Harry draws out as he crouches down to accept Zayn into his arms.

“He heard your name and couldn’t stop squirming,” Liam grinned as he saw Zayn press an open mouthed kiss into Harry’s cheek.

“I’d be the same way if you were talking about this lover,” Harry nuzzles his nose into Zayn’s cheek before pressing a couple of kisses into his plump cheeks.

“Good morning,” Harry cooed.

“I’ve got waffles for us and a bottle for Zee,” Harry pressed a kiss to Liam’s lips.

“We get that you two are in love, but can the kissing be kept to a minimum while I’m eating,” Geoff wrinkles his nose in distaste.

“Oh let em’ alone Geoff they’re,” Karen didn’t get a chance to finish.

“In love,” the three men chorus.

“Lub,” Zayn nods before he gets taken into his grandfather’s arms.

“He can’t get much cuter,” Karen smiles to the baby sitting with her husband reading over the comics in the newspaper.

“Mr. Payne or baby Payne,” Harry smirks before he gets a slap to the chest and a telling off from his boyfriend.

“Grandpa can feed the baby this morning,” Liam smiles as he takes the bottle from the warmer and passes it down to his father.

“Comics and breakfast? Sounds like a perfect saturday if you ask me,” Geoff grinned as he settled the baby into his arm and pushed the bottle past Zayn’s lips.

Zayn was incredibly content as he ate with his grandad. Liam and Harry didn’t really sit down to eat; they busied themselves packing the diaper bag and getting an outfit ready for Zayn to wear.

“Is his Lamby in the bag,” Harry hums as he hands the baby back to Geoff for the boy to finish off his bottle.

“Yup, his blanket is in the bag too,” Liam nods as he zips the backpack closed.

When Zayn finished off his bottle Harry burped him, and Liam got him dressed into a royal blue long sleeved onesie with gray leggings and a pair of white socks.

“H, do you got the car seat,” Liam sits Zayn on his arm and bounces with the baby. His boy giving a little fuss.

“I’ve got it set in the foyer,” Harry pulled Zayn up from Liam’s arms to tote him into the foyer with Liam following behind with a diaper bag tossed over his shoulder.

As Zayn was lowered into his carseat by Harry he began to fuss.

“I’m sorry bubba,” Harry hushed Zayn as he settled the boy into his car seat.

“Give me his paci and Lamby, yeah,” Harry held his hand out, but Liam went around him to push the pacifier past his baby’s lips. The lamb was snuggled against his chest.

“Should I put his blanket on his too,” Liam checks.

“No, he’ll be alright I think,” Harry lifts the car seat to rest on his forearm before he grabs the door for Liam.

After Zayn was strapped into the car, the pair drove over to the Calder’s home. The baby kept himself entertained by the toys attached to the bar hanging over his car seat.

“Lou told me about Mr. Calder getting a Ford Capri. Said it needed some work, so I’m gonna head out to the garage to check it out,” Harry spoke out over the nursery rhymes playing on the radio.

“Sounds alright to me,” Liam shrugged as Harry turned into the Calder drive. The house was a bit more posh than most, but still held a very comfy feel to it.

Liam threw the diaper bag over his shoulder while Harry got the car seat from the car. Zayn was busy babbling to his lamb.

Eleanor opened the door as they were walking up the path. She herself was dressed in a long sleeve striped shirt and denim overalls, and probably for her own amusement, Niall matched.

He was propped on her hip with a blanket hanging in his hands.

“Good morning,” Eleanor cheered with a smile as she welcomed them in.

“Morning,” they greeted back and each offered her a hug. Liam nicked Niall off of her the moment he had his arms around her waist.

Harry put the car seat down on the table in the foyer. He got his arms full of Niall while Liam worked on unfastening the straps of the car seat.

Louis had managed to steal Harry away to the garage while Eleanor and Liam took the boys off to the living room.

Liam placed Zayn down with Niall near some blocks before he joined Eleanor on the couch.

“So, when did you and Harry happen,” Eleanor hummed with a smile as her eyes darted over to the door that led out towards the garage.

“El,” Liam groaned out quietly.

“Oh come on! You act like Lou and I didn’t see that little kiss when they left for the garage, or when you fixed his snapback over his hair,” El smirked with knowing eyes.

“It was a little after your soccer game,” he shrugged with a light grin covering his lips.

“And what you two gotten up to since then,” an underlying tone to her words.

“None of your business,” Liam laughed loudly.

==============================================================

“So that’s yours,” Louis smiled as he heard a loud laugh come from inside his new home.

“I guess you could say that,” Harry shrugged with a grin as he made work of the car.

“And the baby,” Lou hummed.

“Been mine since I picked him up the first day Liam got him,” Harry chuckled.

“Didn’t he scream until Liam took him off you,” Louis laughed.

“Eh, we both had a bit of a rough time getting it to work, but I love ‘im,” Harry shrugged with a grin.

“The baby or the boy,” Louis teased.

“How do you do it,” Harry states after a moment of silence.

“What,” Louis’ brow furrowed.

“The baby, the missus, how do you not go a bit stir crazy,” Harry made sure to meet Louis’ eyes this time.

“I’m not gonna say that Niall and El don’t drive me crazy every once in a while. I’m not a huge fan of changing diapers or going out to get her tampons. Having this car here though, or even just having my tea out on the porch with the dogs is enough for me,” Louis smiled.

“Have you been having some thoughts,” Louis held Harry’s eye contact.

“Not really. Just I was watching him the other day, and the whole time I felt like I could’ve done better if Li was there,” Harry shrugged shyly.

“Let me tell you this if you’re going to take anything away from this conversation; you will always feel like you’d be able to do it better with someone else’s help. As long as you don’t drop him more than five times you’re doing just fine,” Louis joked towards the end.

“Hawwy,” their eyes shot over to the door where the baby gate was keeping a divider from the garage and the living room.

“Where’s daddy,” Harry wiped his hands off on the rag that was over the cart.

“Hawwy,” Zayn sobbed as he held his hands out. Harry and Louis made there way over to the door before he lifted the boy from behind the gate up to his hip.

“Wit Hawwy,” Zayn mumbled as he tightened his grip onto Harry’s shirt.

“Zayn Javadd,” Liam called from the door, and the three boys turned to face him.

“Wit Hawwy,” he dug his fingers into Harry’s sweater.

“I don’t think so,” Liam smiled as he reached over the gate for Zayn.

“No,” Zayn sobbed as he snuggled into Harry’s shoulder.

“Someone is getting close to nap,” Louis smirked while Harry was beginning to bounce with his baby.

“Don’t say those words unless you want me to say them to Ni,” Liam chuckled as he saw Louis scowl.

“I have a tantrum scheduled for noon, and I’d rather not move up that appointment,” Louis rolled his eyes with a smile.

“Alright, off to daddy,” Harry worked against the fussing before he finally got the crying baby into Liam’s arms.

“I’ll see you in a few,” Harry gave a kiss to Liam and then to Zayn before the man walked off to the living room.

It was a few minutes until they were interrupted again by a sobbing Niall who was trying to scale the gate.

Louis pinched the bridge of his nose before nodding to himself. He made his way over to Niall. He could see Eleanor standing at the end of the hallway with a diaper and wipes.

“Go to mommy,” Louis points back towards Eleanor, but Niall remains in front of his father shaking his head.

“I thought he didn’t like you changing him,” Harry laughed as he took it upon himself to lift the boy.

“When mommy goes to soccer, Niall gets goldfish whenever he has a poopy diaper,” Louis sighed.

“Didn’t you use that on,”

“The girls? Yeah,” Louis smirked before he took Niall off of Harry.

“But now he figured that if I change him he gets crackers, so the tables turned,” Louis swayed with Niall for a moment before passing him back off to Eleanor.

“Daddy,” Niall screeched.

“Go have your pants changed,” Louis took his kisses before seeing the two off down the hall.

“What in the world is going on this morning,” they laugh before getting back to work.

===================================================================

“You know I think that this is the biggest change since Harry’s been around,” Liam is bouncing Zayn around the living room as the baby sobs for Harry.

“Well with separation anxiety can come a lot of insecurity. I think if Harry can just give him some cuddles later on, then hopefully he won’t get as worked up,” Eleanor finished changing Niall. 

He took only a few seconds to find himself some trucks in the corner, but with that heart of gold he wore on his sleeve, Niall snuck his way over to Liam who was rocking a sobbing baby.

“Zay,” Niall held up a bright red truck for him friend.

“Zayn look,” Liam pointed down to Niall who was smiling up towards the two.

“Play,” he smiled pointing to the trucks over in his corner.

“Hawwy,” Zayn sobbed.

“No, truck,” Niall corrected. The adults shared a laugh.

“Come on beta. Can we all play, Ni,” Liam hummed as he was already sitting down by the loads of trucks over in the corner.

“Trucks,” Niall cheered with a nod as he pulled his mother over to sit on the ground.

Liam had his baby sitting comfortably in his lap. Niall was driving and crashing trucks while making noises for them. 

“Look Zayn, what kind of truck is Niall holding,” Liam pointed out towards the red truck that was once again in Niall’s hand.

“Red,” he mumbled out.

“Yes, good job! But who drives those trucks,” Liam hummed as he pressed a kiss into Zayn’s cheek.

“Fireman,” Niall cheered with a smile as he held the truck out to Liam.

“Very good,” Liam cheered. Zayn let a small smile grace his lips when the truck was placed in his lap.

“You’re such a sweetheart, Ni,” Eleanor cooed as she carded her fingers through his hair.

Zayn drove his truck over Liam’s knees. 

“Baby,” Niall took Zayn’s free hand to help him from Liam’s lap, and surprisingly he went. Zayn sat himself beside Niall as the blonde drove a truck in front of the baby.

“I bet we could sneak off for some tea and leave Ni to babysit,” Eleanor smirked as she watched on proudly.

“You think we’ll make it,” Liam chuckled before he slowly started to raise himself from the floor. The baby didn’t take his attention off of Niall.

“Hurry,” she joked before the two quietly made there way into the kitchen.

Niall had realized his mom was off with Liam in the kitchen, and he also knew that the garage door was still propped open.

He’s a bit more devious then his mother gave him credit for.

“Baby,” Niall called as he pushed the red fire truck forward a bit. Lucky enough for Zayn, Niall crawled after it.

“Come baby,” Niall’s voice was sweeter than sugar as he pushed the truck a bit further. Zayn followed him close behind.

It was one long stretch before they made it to the door, and Zayn never crawled faster.

He wanted that truck.

“Baby, papa,” Niall pointed out over to Harry who was doing God knows what with that old looking car.

“Papa,” Zayn mumbled as he jammed a couple of fingers in his mouth.

“Call papa,” Niall helped pull the boy up to stand on the gate.

“Papa,” Zayn tested, but Harry never even glanced at him.

“Papa,” Zayn pushed his voice.

Harry visibly stiffened. 

Louis was the first to glance to the door where his son and best friend’s baby stood bouncing. Zayn was grinning eagerly. 

Harry took a breath himself before deciding to go with it.

“What are you doing out here,” Harry grins as he takes the rag off of the cart to clean his hands.

“Papa,” Zayn tested on his lips.

“Yeah,” Harry hummed as he crouched in front of the gate.

“Papa,” Zayn cheered as he bounced with his fingers gripping onto the gate.

“What are you doing silly? What happened to daddy,” Harry smiled as he kept hearing the sweet name directed towards him.

“Yeah, where’s momma, Ni,” Louis crouches down beside the two.

“Tea,” he grins.

“Did momma leave you to take care of the baby,” Louis smiles as Niall nods along enthusiastically.  
“Oh,” Louis’ nose wrinkles.

“That’s you isn’t it,” Louis chuckles as he tickles at Zayn’s tummy.

“Papa,” Zayn coos as he tries to grab onto Harry.

“Do you need your diaper changed,” Harry hums with a grin painting his lips.

“Papa,” Zayn coos.

“Yeah, papa is gonna change your diaper,” Harry stands before he steps over the gate, and pulls the baby onto his hip.

“How are you, mr. Ni? Getting sleepy,” Louis hikes Niall up on his hip before Harry and him go to the living room.

“No,” Niall mumbles even though his head is beginning to fall a bit.

“Daddy where’s the diaper bag,” Harry calls as he bounces Zayn into the kitchen.

“Does he need a change,” Liam leans to smell his bum, then pulls away quickly.

“Goodness baby boy,” he laughs.

“Papa,” Liam’s eyes widen when he hears Zayn use the term.

“Yeah, papa is gonna change your poopy diaper,” Harry takes the boy from the kitchen.

“What the hell Louis,” Eleanor’s eyes him as she takes Niall from his arms.

“Don’t ask me. He and Ni went to see us, and that was the first thing Zayn said,” Louis shrugs.

“Was he okay with it,” Liam’s voice holds nothing but worry.

“You saw him. He’s thrilled,” Louis chuckles.

It was silent for less then a second before blood curdling screams drew everyone’s attention to the living room.

To say that Zayn was livid would be an understatement. His was screaming so much that his face was slowly beginning to turn red. For an easy going baby, this lad was being quite difficult.

His feet pushed Harry’s hands away as the teen tried to pull off his leggings.

“Whoa whoa whoa,” Harry coos as he pulls the boy up to his chest.

Harry is digging through the diaper bag while coddling Zayn before he comes across the baby’s favorite paci.

“Okay bubba. You’re okay,” Harry pushes the pacifier through Zayn’s lips. He gives the baby a longer snuggle before laying him down onto the changing mat.

“Why are we getting so worked up? Is it getting time for nap,” Harry starts slow as he’s taking off the leggings and pulling apart the poppers of his onesie.

“Should daddy give you some snuggles or is it papa’s turn,” Harry cleans him. When the wipes touch his bum, a cry rips through his throat.

“Oh I know. It’s so cold isn’t it? Should make a portable wipe warmer, yeah,” he pouts while doing his best to clean as fast as he can.

When a new diaper is strapped on, Harry doesn’t bother to even button the onesie before he lifts the boy to his chest for a cuddle.

“You’re alright, it’s okay, shh,” Harry coos against the shell of his ear. He manages to clean up the mess from the diaper change all rolled into the messy diaper.

“Where do you want me to put this El,” he stands with Niall on his hip. The parents freeze.

He knew they were watching.

“El?”

“Oh, um, just in the diaper genie upstairs,” she leads him up.

“Well that’s impressive,” Louis laughs before Liam joins him.

“You gonna let him be papa,” he hums.

“It’s all up to Zee in the end.”


	12. The One Where Something isn't Quite Right

It was this uncomfortably loud screech that threw Harry out of bed in the morning. He knew it was Zayn immediately. But he wasn’t in pain, nor was he sad, oh no he was angry.

Liam had woken up early this morning to Zayn trying to pull off the diaper taped around his waist. He was falling out of his regular headspace. This usually ten to twelve-month baby was experiencing something along the lines of a three-year-old, and the idea of having to wear a diaper made him feel awful.

Harry stumbled into the bedroom after just a few moments after Liam had scolded Zayn for trying to remove his wet diaper.

“Papa,” Zayn ran around Liam to grab at Harry. The new father lifted him quickly to his hip.

Harry’s eyes were wide as he looked upon Liam in question. Because something was very off.

“I don’t know,” Liam’s spoke in a state of confusion and distress.

He woke up to his little twelve-month baby talking like a three-year-old (if not four) trying to take off his diaper and refusing a bottle or pacifier for soothing. His heart was breaking because he doesn’t know what happened to wake him up as a completely different being.

“No diapy,” Zayn screeched trying to remove the wet material from around his waist. 

“You’re okay, Zee. Let’s have a change,” Harry kept his knees bouncing as he crossed the room to the changing table.

“Li, call Doctor Pratt,” Harry called over the wails and fussing.

“What’s going on,” Karen entered as Liam darted across the hall to go find his phone.

“Zee’s not in his normal headspace,” Harry told her quietly. Zayn was struggling for his freedom. His legs kicked and his body twisted around on the table.

“Zayn, come on. What can papa do? I’m just taking off your diaper. Just like you want,” Harry cooed as he pulled the boy’s legs down.

“Zayn, here, you can take it off, ”Karen came around from behind Harry and lifted the boy from the table. Immediately Zayn peeled off the tapes, and let his wet diaper drop to the floor.

“Here, let nana wipe you down a little,” Karen took a few wipes out of the dispenser before dropping to her knees and pulling the wipes over his genitals and bum.

“No mo’,” Zayn pulled away from his nana. He made his way over to the door, but Liam came in just enough time to catch the boy before he could escape.

“Baby, what’s going on,” Liam lifted the boy up onto his hip as he struggled to free himself. The screaming in his ear wasn’t settling, but he could deal with it if eventually, he found a way to calm the boy.

“Not baby,” Zayn screeched.

“Okay beta,” Liam waltzed to the changing table. He found a fresh diaper to strap around the boy’s hips while he fussed.

“No diapy,” Zayn tried to pull off the tapes, but Liam held his hands together in one of his own, so they couldn’t stray and do what he was planning to.

“I know you don’t want it babe, but you need it,” Liam explained gently.

“No diapy,” he fought against Liam’s hands as tears streamed down his face. 

“Zayn,” Harry called gently as he held out Lamby to the boy.

“This is scary isn’t it,” he hums as he sits down on the floor in front of the boy next to Liam.

It never dawned on Liam. Zayn was obviously experiencing a fault in his headspace, and this must be terrifying for the little boy.

Zayn tried to fight with Liam to remove his diaper, but after five minutes the boy gave up. He dropped to the floor on his bum between the two parents. His wails beginning to lower in sound.

Karen excused herself from the room.

“Dad,” Zayn whimpered as he moved onto Liam’s lap.

“You’re okay beta, you’re okay,” Liam hushed as he coddled to the boy to his chest. His body beginning to rock side to side. 

He isn’t really sure what he’s supposed to do here. He’s trying his best not to cry, to be strong for the little one in his state of disorder, but he doesn’t know why this all of a sudden had to happen.

“We’re gonna go see Dr. Pratt in a little bit, beta. We’ll cuddle and then we can go see Dr. Pratt and Dr. Steele and it’ll all be okay,” Liam hummed quietly into the dark locks of his terrified little boy. 

He’s grateful for Zayn’s clipped nails at this moment, or otherwise, he’d be bleeding by now.

When Zayn’s breathing leveled out, Liam shifted himself slowly from a sitting to a standing position.

“Zayn, do you want daddy to put you down? You can grab some clothes and we can go visit with Dr. Pratt,” Liam gets a stiff shake of the head in return from Zayn.

“Would you like something to eat, anything you want,” Liam offers as he dances a hand over Zayn’s bareback.

“Pop tart,” Zayn mumbles into Liam’s neck.

“Yeah, Course you can have a pop tart. Do you want to go to the kitchen and eat it,” Liam smiles as he makes progress.

“With daddy,” Zayn sniffles.

“Yeah, daddy will come,” Liam murmured softly.

Harry had taken the liberty to grab an outfit for Zayn while Liam carted him off to the kitchen.

His parents went to work, and the three boys were called off.

Liam found Zayn a strawberry pop tart in the back of the cupboard among most of Zayn’s younger age snacks.

“Look at this,” Liam cooed. He handed the pop tart over to Zayn, and the boy played with the crinkly silver package.

“What did Dr. Pratt say,” Harry begins to pull off the tray of Zayn’s high chair, but then he realizes the tantrum that could come with it, so he snaps it back on. 

“Dr. Pratt is going to accompany us to Dr. Steele’s office after a brief checkup. He mentioned something about this being a common occurrence for littles that are supposed to drop into such a young headspace,” Liam tears the silver package open and breaks off a piece of his strawberry jam filled, vanilla iced and vanilla sprinkled pastry.

“Should I put anything extra in the diaper bag beside the essentials,” Harry hums with a mild grin as Zayn decides to shove a small bite of his pop tart pass Harry’s lips.

“I’ll grab his forms while you get him dressed, and toss Lamby in the bag along with a soother just in case he changes his mind when he’s fussy,” Liam subsides as he sets Zayn down on the marble island. He brushes his fingers through the boy’s dark locks and leans down to press a chaste kiss against his forehead. 

When Zayn finished one out of two of the pop tarts, Harry scooped him up and they made their way back to Zayn’s nursery.

“All right, munchkin, do we need a diaper change before we get dressed,” Harry holds a diaper out to Zayn.

“No diapy,” Zayn tugs at the tab.

“Nuh uh, not what I was implying,” Harry chuckles grabbing the boy’s hand to tug away from the tab. Harry gives the boy a sniff as unnoticeably as possible before deeming him fresh, then slipping up a pair of black jeggings over his chubby little legs and pulling a mini blue champion sweatshirt over the little one’s head.

“Alright Zee, grab some shoes and papa will help you get them on,” Harry leads him into the closet where his shoe rack is piled high with gifts from all of the football and soccer players.

“These,” Zayn tugs his white air forces off the shelf.

“Those are a good choice, Bubba,” Harry praised. He pulls Zayn onto his hip and steals the shoes from his hand. He swings the diaper bag over his shoulder before marching the two of them out of the nursery and down the stairs.

“Zayn, you ready to go see Dr. Pratt,” Harry sits the boy down on the bench in the foyer along with the diaper bag before he starts to unlace Zayn’s Air Forces. Right as Harry tries to slide a shoe on, Zayn pulls his foot away.

“Zayn,” Harry raises his brow in question and a slight scold.

“No papa,” Zayn whines as he pushes himself further back on the bench.

“You need shoes to go outside Zayn,” Harry instructs lightly before he tugs his foot out once again.

“No,” Zayn screeches before he wriggles his foot free from Harry’s hand.

“Zayn, papa let you pick out these shoes. Why don’t you want to wear them,” Harry puts the shoes back up on the bench, and Zayn not so gently tosses them off of it.

“Go get those shoes now Zayn Javaad,” Liam appears from the kitchen with all of his little boy’s documents secured in a manila envelope.

“No,” Zayn screamed before he pushed himself away from Harry only to fall on the floor in a tummy tantrum with his fists pounding into the floor relentlessly.

Harry had only seen a handful of tantrums in his time as a friend and new parent of Zayn, but he never got to see a tantrum where Zayn could somewhat voice his thoughts.

He was a bit dumbfounded at the moment.

Liam, on the other hand, was situating the car seat because he was well aware that it would be another obstacle to come.

Liam and Harry got everything together and out to the car before Zayn noticed that his tantrum was going completely unnoticed. He sat up and sniffled for a few moments before going to grab the shoes he tossed across the foyer.

“Would you like help with your shoes,” Liam crouches down in front of the whimpering boy. Zayn nods quietly before holding out his sneakers.

“What was that tantrum to papa about,” Liam sat the boy up on the bench once again and began to tie his shoes.

“No shoes cause no doc,” Zayn sniffles as he wipes his nose with the sleeve of his shirt.

“Zayn we have to see the doctor. He’s only going to give you a checkup though okay? Nothing scary, I promise,” Liam finished tying the laces in nice, even, bows before dragging a thumb under Zayn’s eyes to collect the last few tears.

“Are we all better,” Harry offers a hand for Zayn to take, and the little raven-haired boy does so shyly.

When they got out to the car it was a whole other ordeal. Zayn took one glance at his back facing car seat, and he started walking in the opposite direction.

“Hey, come on,” Liam cooed with a little tug of a smile to his lips. He could tell this was going to be a defiant day, so he might as well look at it with a light heart no matter how stressful it was sure to get.

After an agreement that Harry would sing some silly song, the three were all headed over town to Dr. Pratt’s office. 

When they arrived, Zayn became tense. Once they walked through the doors, his little hands almost levitated magically in order to ask his daddy for a cuddle and a hold; his head getting tucked into Liam’s neck within a matter of seconds.

“It’s okay, beta,” Liam cooed gently, a kiss was pressed right behind his ear as Liam checked them in. 

Harry willingly sat down in one of the seats to wait, but when Liam went to sit, Zayn wined, so the dad walking circles around the waiting room.

“Zayn,” a nurse in light blue scrubs with cartoon puppies covering it called with a clipboard and a smile.

“How is everything going today,” she smiled with a tone of knowing hidden. She’s seen this shy behavior too many times to count.

“It could be better,” Harry joked to lighten up the room, and luckily he did just that. 

The nurse ran through regular protocol before directing them to an examination room for the three to wait calmly once again. 

Liam situated himself on top of the examination table because he was sure that Zayn was going to be pretty adamant on staying glued to his father.

“Well if it isn’t my favorite buddy, Zayn,” Dr. Pratt cooed as he made his appearance known to the little makeshift family that was busy listening to Harry’s rendition of Little Red Riding Hood.

Zayn quivered away, and his head immediately went into his father’s tummy. Whenever he saw this man something he didn’t want to happen was happening.

“How are we feeling today, Mr. Zayn,” Dr. Pratt addresses as he warms up the sink water before scrubbing his hands thoroughly clean.

All he got was a whine in return.

“Zayn isn’t exactly in his regular headspace per se,” Liam offered as he carded a few fingers through Zayn’s hair in an offered form of comfort.

“I can see that. I’m just gonna give him a little look over to make sure it was nothing physical that brought out the temporary development, and if not then I’ll call in Dr. Steele to come down here and give a little visit.

Once again the general procedures were followed through, from checking Zayn’s heartbeat to making sure his reflexes were still functioning properly. He even did a very much hated diaper check to look for rashes or any sort of irritability, but he came up empty-handed.

Dr. Steele entered soon after, and in an instant, everyone was asked to leave except Liam.

“Hi Zayn,” she smiled lightly with a hand extended to the little boy. He took it gently and the two shook for a moment before a release occurred mutually.

“Zayn, I heard that today you didn’t wake up that happy.”

Zayn nodded softly.

“I’m sorry you started your day in such a bad way.” she sympathized. It only took another few words here and there before it became apparent to why Zayn had risen in his regression.

Daycare.

“It’s really quite simple. He spends a frequent amount of his week with several littles in higher headspaces, when littles begin to fall into their proper headspaces sometimes they get a little confused and take on someone else’s original regression patterns. It’s mild and should only last for two or three days tops, but if not I would suggest finding a new daycare that tends to be more nursery based,” she talked with confidence, and the parents were quickly relieved from all of their worries.

She assured them that it was natural for him to fight on the diapers, shoes, car seats, and several other things because it was something out of the age group for his false elder regression, so she made it clear that patience was key.

Dr. Steele couldn’t give any specific indication of when the strange growth would retreat to what it once was, but all she could say was that it would be almost instantaneous.

When the everything was finally cleaned up the trio once again headed home from their mini school vacation.

Zayn was adamant on watching some show with dogs in it, and Harry got dragged into watching it. 

As the two were sitting on the couch, Harry felt his lap grow warm. He sighed quietly to himself before moving Zayn from his lap to head over into the foyer to grab a clean diaper and a pack of wipes.

“Come here Zee, I need to change your diaper,” Harry patted the floor in front of where he situated himself with open legs. Zayn openly glared at him.

“Come on,” Harry motioned to him once again, but the little one turned his attention back to his show proudly.

After everything Dr. Steele said today, he decided to take Zayn’s defiance with a grain of sugar and stood from the floor with his head held high.

“I know you hate this, but it needs to be done,” Harry lifted the boy up from the couch. 

Harry laid him out between his legs on the floor. He gave the jeggings a tug until they were completely down Zayn’s tan little legs. 

Zayn focused on the ceiling with a pout.

“Zaynie,” Harry cooed as he gave a little tickle to Zayn’s ribs. The boy squirmed with a little giggle before pushing his hands away.

“Hey,” Harry cooed as he tried to get another smile, but Zayn fussed, even more, when Harry gave him another prod.

“Papa,” Zayn pushed his hands away. Zayn was beginning to wriggle himself away.

“Okay, I’ll stop,” Harry smiled before pulling the tabs up from the dirty diaper. He was quick to clean his bum to dry before putting on a new diaper and wrapping up the old one with the dirty wipes.

“Heads up daddy,” Harry calls as he tosses the diaper towards Liam. 

“You’ve got to stop doing that,” Liam shouts as he just barely catches the diaper. 

That worked in Harry’s favor, however, he ended up getting a pretty good belly laugh from Zayn in that like.

 

Harry was not shy to cover the little one in kisses, and even though Zayn tried to push him away, in the end, Harry could’ve sworn his curls were being tugged closer.

Somehow the two ended up curled up on the couch watching that stupid puppy show. Zayn losing his pants, and Harry losing his shirt.

As Liam walked by to clean up the bunches of toys off of the floor, Harry’s hand shot out to tug Liam’s hand to his.

“It’s been a long day,” Harry nods his head down to the baby now sleeping peacefully on his chest.

“That it has,” Liam’s brow furrows in question.

With a little bit of manuevering, Harry manages to make a great enough space to pat in suggestion.

Liam acts like he has to think for a second before Harry offers a pout and a kiss to the hand along with a tug.

The boy curls himself into his boys happily.

When Karen arrived home from work she couldn’t help but smile. Because after that morning of chaos, her boys all seemed pretty all right. She grabbed the fuzzy blanket off of the love seat and draped it lovingly over the three over them. 

A chaste kiss got pressed to the three of their foreheads.

“Nap well lovelies, dinner is in an hour,” she cooed with a smile before quietly tiptoeing into the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys, I'm sorry it has been so long. I've missed you all so much on this book! I just haven't been feeling too inspired by my stories in general lately, but I felt I needed to pull an all-nighter to finish this chapter at least. If you have any suggestions whatsoever, please leave them. I could use all the help I could get if you keep wanting updates on this book.


	13. The One Where Everything is Sort of Back to Normal

All it took was a couple days before Zayn had finally recovered back down into his twelve month headspace. Of course, it took a lot of coaxing out of the whole Payne- Styles bunch, but in the end, Zayn was finally right where the doctors wanted him.

Of course with the baby back to his proper age, some nights were a bit rougher than the rest, and if Liam was being honest, he’s tired, he’s so tired.

Because since that baby went back into his proper headspace, all he seems to do is cry when anyone besides himself touches him.

Zayn hates his diaper being changed.

He doesn’t want his papa to hold him.

He doesn’t want his bottle to be warmed up in the bottle warmer, he wants it in hot water.

The high chair is too far away from daddy, Zayn needs to be in his lap.

Liam never thought he would say this, but he has never been so happy to return to school in his life.

It was only an hour before Liam would usually wake up for school (which was actually the most sleep he had gotten in the past week) when he was woken up by his little alarm.

The monitor crackled at his bedside table with a needy little whine turning into these strong cries wakes him up. A groan breaks through his lips before he’s reaching around his table to find the base of his lamp, so he can tap it on.

His eyes squinted shut for a moment before he made it across his room.

That was also new. The bassinet was once again being put to use.

Liam realized it was smarter to have Zayn in his room because of how frequently he would wake up in the middle of the night.

Even though he was exhausted, he didn’t want his parents to have to feel the same way.

“Hey, Hey, daddy’s here,” Liam cooed as he bent down into the bassinet to lift Zayn up, blanket and all. 

He pressed the little one to his chest and began to lightly rub and pat his back gently.

“Are you nervous for your new class at daycare? Is that why we’re up so early,” Liam whispered with his mouth pressed gently against the shell of his ear.

“Look at you, all better, huh,” Liam got a glance towards his boy for a moment before Zayn tucked his head deeper into the crook of Liam’s shoulder. 

After a discrete diaper check, Liam tiptoed down the steps into the kitchen. He flicked on the lights above the island, and even though he understood a fuss was going to come, he situated Zayn down into his high chair.

“Ehh,” the little boy moaned as he twisted and turned to avoid the harness.

“It’s okay, we’re gonna have an early breakfast,” Liam cooed as he clasped the last piece of the harness in place, and put the tray in place. Zayn was grumpily crying towards his dad while the teen scooted around the kitchen to put together a mix of oatmeal and berries for Zayn’s breakfast.

“You’re extra cranky this morning, huh, beta,” Liam pushed his hair back and pressed a kiss to Zayn’s forehead before placing himself in front of the babe’s high chair with his breakfast and a bib.

Zayn was allowed his bib to be put on pretty easily because it meant more contact with his daddy. Liam gave the oatmeal another stir before giving him a small bite.

Still with Zayn’s tendencies, it ended up on his face, but at least it was close enough for Liam to scrape back to his mouth.

As Zayn finished his breakfast, the sun was on the horizon, and papa had entered the building to relieve Liam from some of his night duties.

“Good morning,” Harry smiled as he pressed a kiss to Zayn’s cheek, and then followed up with a peck to Liam’s lips.

Zayn was the one to decide his breakfast was done, he was very willing to push the spoon away from his mouth, and effectively get it to slam down onto the tray.

“Okay then,” Liam chuckles. Harry got a clean towel from one of the drawers and wet it with warm water.

Zayn fussed away as his papa started to wipe his mouth of the leftover oatmeal, but it simply had to be done.

“I’m gonna go hop in the shower,” Liam handed the bowl of oatmeal over to Harry with a kiss as before he made his way out of the kitchen.

“Papa,” Zayn mumbled as he struggled to pull his bib off.

“I’m gonna get you a little bottle together, bub,” Harry took a bottle that he made last night out of the fridge, and he turned on the stove to warm the kettle.

“Come here,” Harry unsnapped the bib around his neck before he lifted the boy onto his hip to cart around the kitchen.

Zayn took the strings from Harry’s maroon Harvard sweatshirt, and he placed them in his mouth.

“Excuse me,” Harry chuckled as he turned off the stove, then took the kettle and poured it into a tea cup. He grabbed the bottle, and set it gently into the water. Zayn went to grab the cup.

“No,” Harry shouted as he pulled the boy’s hand tight against his chest. Of course, Zayn took it as his papa yelling at him, so a sob quickly roared through his throat.

“Shh, you can’t touch that, bubba. I didn’t mean to yell,” Harry pressed a kiss to Zayn’s temple.

Harry gave Zayn some pats to his back as he started to sift through the kitchen to find the beloved pacifier. He rushed around until he came across the idea that Zayn didn’t want it last night, so he evidently ended up in Liam’s room. 

It was on his desk right next to the bassinet. Harry shoved the pacifier past his lips, and he only had to hold it for a moment before Zayn began to bob it as his breath leveled out.

Harry made his way down the stairs to snag the bottle from the warm water. He tested it on his skin before bringing Zayn back to the nursery.

Right as his back hit the changing table, Zayn began to wail. 

“We’ve done this every morning, bub. You’re gonna be okay,” Harry cooed with a little laugh. 

Harry popped the buttons off of Zayn’s sleeper to reveal his swollen diaper. Zayn was adamant on curling his legs into his tummy.

“Baba,” Harry held up the bottle and gave it a little shake to capture his eye. Zayn was still crying, but he did know that his favorite part of breakfast was very nearby. 

“Papa’s gonna borrow this,” Harry tugged the pacifier out. Zayn’s cries got louder, but Harry got the bottle pass his lips just in time to make him silent.

“Works every time,” he mumbled with a smirk before he got to work changing him.

“Same thing,” Liam smiled as he came into the nursery to see Harry getting Zayn cleaned up. He went over to the closet to get clothes together for the boy.

“Every morning per usual,” Harry gave Zayn’s tummy a light kiss after he strapped a fresh diaper around his waist.

Liam handed over Liam’s favorite cream waffle knit long sleeve onesie.

“Good morning, boys,” Karen poked her head around the corner.

“Morning mom,” they both called back while keeping their eyes on Zayn.

“Hold the bottle for him will ya,” Harry asked Liam. Liam took over holding the bottle while Harry got the onesie over his head and arms. Zayn reached up to take his bottle back when Harry was finished getting the onesie situated over his torso. 

Harry snapped together the clasps at the crotch before having Liam take over the bottle once again, so he could slip a green long sleeve over his head. At this Zayn fussed, but Liam started to comb his fingers through his hair, Zayn started to feel much better.

Harry wiggled some black leggings with white stars up his legs before tying on his little white Adidas superstars.

Liam transferred the bottle back to Zayn’s hands. Harry let him lay for a few minutes before laying him down in his arms. 

Harry made himself comfortable in the rocking chair while Zayn finished off his bottle. 

Liam got himself fed while packing the diaper bag. He moved Harry’s backpack into the passenger side of his car while turning it on.

Winter was truly brutal this year, and he did not want Zayn in this car unless it was warm.

“Okay, I know,” Harry pouted his lips. Liam entered the kitchen to hear Zayn once again, crying.

It had become so regular that he didn’t really think about it anymore.

“It’s just for a little bit,” Harry cooed as he snapped the harness together. He tucked a blanket around Zayn and put Lamby in with him. Harry pressed his pacifier back into Zayn’s lips to settle him for the short ten minute car ride.

Harry and Liam got on their coats before waving the parents goodbye and making their way to the car. 

“My ears are frozen,” Harry shivered as he finally climbed into the passenger seat.

“I’ll help you warm them up,” Liam smirked as he peppered kisses across his face.

“Uh,” Zayn whined.

“We’re going,” they called together with a laugh.

====================================================

At the school was something different. He parked next to Louis like he always did. Eleanor always took a different car in the morning because she was getting paid to tutor students before classes.

Once Niall was situated onto Louis’s hip, the boys joined the other three in the car.

“Good morning,” they shared with a smile. 

“Baby Zee,” Niall crawled off of his dad’s lap to get closer to his buddy.

“Ni,” Zayn mumbled as he reached out to hook a hand around Niall’s fingers.

“Baby we pay in cass an we e togeter an nanite togeter,” Niall made his own form of baby talk to talk down to Zayn, and the little one was eating it up with loads of giggles.

The three parents shared a glance around the car. Louis explained this with Eleanor last night, but obviously he forgot that almost three year olds let things go in one ear and come out the next.

“Ni, do you want to come see Zayn for a little bit after school today? You two can play,” Liam got the attention drew back to him.

“We pay ‘onger,” Niall questioned with a grin.

“Not exactly, babe. Do you remember what momma said last night? Zee is gonna play in a different class,” Louis bit the bullet. They didn’t really have time to dance around the fact that Zayn was being transferred in order to protect his mental health.

“No baby,” Niall’s eyes watered as he looked over towards Zayn.

“Not in class, but you’ll still get to see him after school,” Harry tried as he reached out to pat Niall’s knee, but the little one jerked his body away from the group.

“Niall,” Louis’s eyebrow rose as to challenge the boy from acting out.

“My baby,” he whimpered before breaking out into little sobs.

The three men couldn’t help but coo at Niall’s attachment to the little one, but it didn’t help that much when Zayn started sobbing because of Niall’s sobbing.

“Ni, you’ll play after school okay,” Louis was popping open his door while the others did the same. All the boys were tossing their diaper bags and backpacks over their shoulders.

“Shh, shh,” Liam cooed as he looked into the car seat. He grabbed the pacifier off of his chest, and held it to Zayn’s lips until he would bob the pacifier. 

Niall tried to cling to Zayn’s car seat for as long as he could, but eventually, Louis got him separated.

So they entered the building as a group like always, but less of their team members joined them. 

That was probably Niall’s fault.

None of the boys were ecstatic to be around the babies when they were crying.

Louis was giving him little taps to his back to try to get him to quiet down. It didn’t really do much for him though.

“Is Niall having a rough morning,” Jamie met the unit at the door.

“He just found out that Zayn is moving classes again,” Louis was swaying side to side as he tried to get the baby to calm down.

“I think it would be best if you two head over to drop Zayn off, and the three of us will stay back here until Niall is more comfortable,” Jamie directed the couple down the hall to Zayn’s new classroom.

“Baby,” Niall called out in a screech. Harry and Liam shared a pout before they glanced back to see Niall trying to fight himself out of Louis’s arms.

Zayn was wide awake with bright eyes. The environment was a lot softer compared to the other room.

Liam knew this would be good for Zayn, but he hated the idea of his baby not having any friends already.

Of course, he doesn't really have the concept of a friend, but still.

“Good morning, Liam, Harry,” the nursery director, Georgia, smiled as took the carrier from Liam to put on the table.

“Good morning Ms. Fowler,” they repeat to her.

“Someone seems very happy this morning,” she smiled looking at the baby while taking him out of his carrier.

“Well he might not be after Li takes off. He’s been a major daddy’s boy lately,” Harry grins, but Georgia seems to do just fine while bouncing Zayn on her hip. He’s taken quite the liking to her sweet voice, and dark long locks.

“We are going to be just fine, don’t you worry. But I suggest you get to class. The bell rings in five minutes,” she suggested with a grin. 

The boys’ eyes darted to the clock.

“See you later, beta,” Liam pressed a kiss to Zayn’s cheek before Harry did the same and they were rushing down the hall.

This day doesn’t seem like it’s going to be as long as they thought.  
=================================================================

“So should I start writing your detention passes now or after class,” Ms. Jolie’s brow rose as three of her students entered her classroom late for the practically the twentieth time this month, if not more.

“I’m so sorry, Ms. Jolie,” Liam began being the one who hates confrontation.

“What was it this time,” she looked on expectantly.

“My son, Niall was having a meltdown because their boy had to switch classes to preserve his headspace, so we were trying to comfort Niall while transferring Zayn,” Louis explained, exasperated.

“Fine. This is your last warning boys. You can only mess up the morning routine so many times before you get it right, and frankly this is getting out of hand,” she tore up the premade detention slips and tossed them in the recycling.

The three rolled their eyes as they made their way back to their seats.

By the time class was over, they had a new essay to write like they did every week. Something stupid about making a synthesis between other essays they previously wrote about the same topic but with a different base subject.

They all know she has a point for these papers, but still, it almost always felt like busy work.

The boys made it through the day with their motivation being the fact that they would get to see their babies at the end of the day. 

Liam may have been the giddiest of the four to get to his baby. He was so used to having the little one on his hip that sometimes today he would start rocking and swaying in different motions.

Harry would grab his shoulders to keep him from moving during lunch. 

He finally put a stop to it when Liam tried to burp him after he took a sip of his water bottle.

“We’ll meet you guys out by the car,” Eleanor smiled as she followed Louis into the nursery to get Niall.

When the two popped the door open, Zayn didn’t even notice. He was completely enthralled by Georgia.

She was lifting him abover her head, then she would lower him while making a new face.

Zayn was eating it up. His hands were grabbing around her face.

“Zayn,” Liam called with a laugh, and she turned with a smile as the parents appeared.

“Dada,” Zayn squealed. His legs danced around happily as they were suspended in the air.

“He was my best buddy for the day. Very cuddly little one,” Georgia smiled as she passed the boy into Liam’s arms. 

Liam pecked kisses all over Zayn’s cheeks while Harry sifted through the diaper bag to make sure everything was good to go.

“Is his lamb still in his car seat,” Harry hummed. Georgia already had a new baby on her hip.

“Yeah, I tried to see if he wanted it or not, but he seemed pretty content with just being by my side,” she laughed.

Liam has never felt more relieved to know that Zayn was enjoying his new teacher so much.

Of course, he wished that Zayn missed him a little more than he showed, but considering he was having a good time throughout the day, he wasn’t too upset about the predicament.

“So I take it that he behaved,” Liam joked as he helped Zayn into his coat. Harry took the little one off of Liam to put him into the car seat.

“Uh oh, someone’s getting fussy,” Harry cooed when Zayn started to fuss while being put into the car seat.

“Oh the poor boy,” Georgia cooed.

When Zayn was settled in, and given his pacifier, the boys were out the door.

“Well he looks cozy,” Eleanor moved the blanket down a tad to peer into the car seat. 

Niall began to scale his mom’s legs in order to become closer to Zayn.

“Niall come to dad,” Louis motioned towards himself as they got closer to the parking lot.

Louis was the one with the car seat for that matter, so Niall was going to have to part from his favorite parent for the time being.

Niall immediately started to sob when he realized Eleanor wasn’t going to be with him.

It seemed like now that football season was over, Louis spent more time with Niall than Eleanor did.

Niall was never too happy about their separations.

“I’ll help you get him in the car,” she subsided while they all made their way out the door.

“He didn’t nap today during class, so I think it would be best if we have him try for a lie down,” Eleanor smiled sweetly towards Liam, and he nodded his head in understanding.

“Wherever you guys want him we can put him. Maybe him and Zayn would like to take a rest together in the crib,” Liam brushes a hand through Niall’s hair before pressing a kiss to his temple.

“We’ll see you lot back at the house,” Louis throws his bag and the diaper bag into the passenger seat while Eleanor deals with getting the fussy tot into his car seat.

On the drive back, Zayn began to fuss himself because of the whole car seat situation. He was never one to enjoy the car seat in the first place, but lately it has become even more of a nuisance.

When they got back to the house, Niall and Zayn were laid down in the playpen in the kitchen. Harry and Eleanor went on to fix together a snack for the four of them, and it ended up working out perfectly with the boys passing out in the playpen curled up next to each other.

“It seems like those two had a longer day than us,” Liam smirked as he pulled out his calc homework.

“Ahh,” Zayn screeches as he sits up in the playpen.

“Weren’t you just asleep,” Louis stood from his place when he saw that Zayn was now standing and holding his hands up.

“Lou, you don’t have to do that,” Liam called as Louis was already lifting the baby onto his hip.

“It’s okay, I’ve got him,” Louis sent a reassuring smile over to Liam as he cuddled the baby closer to his chest.

“You could use a diaper change, stinker,” Louis nose wrinkled. 

 

“Okay, give me my baby, Tommo,” Liam chuckled as he stole Zayn off of Louis’s hip.

“You’re just being a very vocal boy today,” Liam patted Zayn’s back as he took him out of the kitchen and back to his nursery.

“How are you finding yourself in the bunch then, Haz,” Louis piped up as Harry made his way to the table while Eleanor followed with a plate full of cheese and crackers for the lot to snack on.

“You know it’s all working out better than I thought. I stopped spending the night here just to please the Payne’s, but I still get here quite early to help out and such,” Harry took a snack off of the tray to munch on.

“What about the other part of your life,” he smirked. Eleanor gasped while Harry groaned.

“Louis, your son is literally asleep right next to you,” Eleanor scolded.

“Exactly. Asleep. I just wanted to see what was going on between the two of them,” Louis shrugged. 

Eleanor discretely flicked him in the head before taking something to eat for herself.

===========================================================

Liam was very adamant on the usual routine of Harry going home after they all ate dinner together, but Zayn was making it very clear that he wasn’t going to stop crying, so after a chat with the Payne’s, Harry convinced them that it was important that he stayed.

So he managed to sway around the room with this fussy baby while Liam laid in bed. He laid down to sleep for a few moments, but it seemed like nothing because Harry was up once again to get the baby from the bassinet.

“Hey, we just went to sleep. What’s wrong,” Harry leaned down to bring the baby up for a cuddle.

Zayn sobbed as he wiggled higher up on his papa’s chest.

Harry sighed sleepily before making his way out of the bedroom into the nursery.

“Come on, love,” Harry took the blanket off of the back of the rocking chair.

“Did you just need a cuddle,” Harry hummed as he got the little one to finally settle against his chest.

Zayn dug his fingertips into Harry’s tummy in order to make him closer to his papa.

Harry sent the boy to sleep with light little taps to his back.

It seemed like the best idea ever, and it did work very well until Harry tried to lay Zayn down in the crib.

“Shh,” Harry cooed tiredly. 

It was when the clock made it to three in the morning that Harry gave up on sleeping separately from the boy, and willingly brought him into Liam’s bed. 

Zayn snuggled into Liam’s side, and the teen subconsciously pulled him closer.

Finally they were able to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was really motivated to write this chapter for some reason, so I hope you all enjoy it. Please leave more suggestions though because I'm sort of out of ideas for the time being. Thank you for reading, and please tell me what you thought about this chapter.


	14. The One Where Elounor Babysits

“Babe, it’s Louis and Eleanor. I don’t understand why you’re so worried,” Harry lifted a whiny Zayn from his playpen while Liam worked on getting together some last minute items for Zayn’s overnight stay at casa Del Calder.

“I’ve never spent a night away from Zayn, and now you’re asking me to spend a night away from my baby when they’ve never even watched him alone before. I’m allowed to be worried Harry,” Liam snapped as he put the last bottle into the cooling bag.

He reached out, and Zayn easily met him halfway with grabby hands to get a hold of his dad.

“I’m just saying that he’s going to be in very good hands and that you shouldn’t worry so much. I promise we’re going to have a good night, and those two will manage just fine,” Harry wraps an arm around Liam’s waist and rests his chin over his shoulder. He presses a light kiss to his shoulder before releasing him.

“Do you have your bag for the hotel,” Harry hummed as he sat down on one of the bar stools at the island.

“Yes,” Liam pouted.

“You know the Tomlinson bunch are going to be expecting us soon enough, right,” Harry rose his brows in question.

“Yes,” Liam mumbled once again.

“Goodness, you’d think I was forcing you to eat cacti instead of go on a romantic night on the town,” Harry laughed, and Zayn was happy to imitate.

“Isn’t daddy being silly? Don’t you want to go see Uncle Lou and Aunt El,” Harry cooed, and with his nodding, Zayn did the same thing.

“Stop manipulating my child,” Liam groaned as he tucked the baby closer to his chest for a cuddle. Zayn cooed in appreciation as he got closer to his daddy.

“You boys are still here,” Geoff walked through the kitchen with the Saturday morning paper in his hands. He had just finished it like usual this time during the morning.

He was probably the only person on the block who still frequently read the weekend papers.

“Zayn and I are ready to go, but Li isn’t so sure,” Harry smirked.

“I’ll help you pack the car. We’ll take him from behind if we have to,” Geoff smirked before pulling up the center of the playpen, so it could be put in the car.

Harry and Geoff carried out several bags to the car in about one interval before everything was situated and ready to go.

“Come on Liam. I’ll even let you sit in the back with him,” Harry jokingly offered.

But when they were out to the car, that’s what Liam ended up doing. He made sure that Zayn was very secure before climbing into the seat right beside him.

Zayn was happy to coo and play with his daddy’s fingers while the car made the short drive through the neighborhood over to the Calder household.

When they arrived, Louis was already waiting in the driveway with Niall. Both were dressed in their winter coats, and Niall was adorned with some snow pants and gloves, so he could play out in the snow.

“Hello,” Louis greeted with a grin as he made his way over to the car. Niall was following just a tad in front of him.

He was so excited to have his baby spend the night! 

“Hi,” Harry smiled as he got out of the car. Liam was quick to follow suit only a few moments after.

“Wewe baby,” Niall retreated to Louis’s side to make his snooping appear more justified.

“The baby is getting in his third nap of the day or so,” Liam smiled as he began to unhinge the car seat.

“He’s been napping a lot today I presume,” Louis smiled as he looked down upon the little one.

“He didn’t sleep to well last night, so he’s just leveling it out. He should be up around noon,” Liam followed Louis into the house while Harry took the bags in.

Louis placed the playpen in the living room, and Harry dropped the bags off in the foyer. 

“Hi, Li, Haz,” Eleanor hugged the two boys at the hips before Liam placed Zayn’s car seat on the table.

“Momma, baby,” Niall pointed out with a little squeal.

“I know. We need to be quiet because the baby is sleeping though,” Eleanor instructed gently.

With the most serious look he could muster, Niall nodded.

“I wish he could’ve saved himself for noon before he went down. Niall is going to have his lie down right when Zayn wakes up,” Louis scrunched his nose in distaste while putting the bottles into the fridge.

“Oh don’t you worry about Louis being a wuss. We’ll be completely fine,” Eleanor carefully maneuvered Zayn out of the car seat and up into a cozy cradle in order to keep him comfortable before they could put him in his playpen.

“I’m just used to sleeping through the night,” Louis joked before he sent a reassuring smile to Liam in order to soothe his worries.

Eleanor kept to patting his bum while Liam went through his already written down schedule that included times that Zayn would eat, sleep, poop, and play. 

Everything was much more detailed than it needed to be, but the couple took it as him being extra nervous.

It took some coaxing out of the three of them to get Liam out the door, and a few extra cuddles of his sleeping babe, but they finally did it.  
==========================================

Around 11 am, Zayn was finally up from his nap. 

He was fussy for a bottle and a change around this time on most days, and today was going to be no different.

Eleanor took Niall with her to the store only moments before, so they could make dinner for her family later tonight, but Louis didn’t see the point in having to wrap Zayn up to go right back into the cold.

Louis thought he would have at least an hour until the baby was awake, but it appeared that it would’ve been a smarter choice for him to run to the market to get dinner ready.

Louis was just watching the ManU match before Zayn woke up.

His eyes darted around the room nervously before he popped up from his lying position in order to stand. His wails broke through the air, and his pacifier fell from his lips.

“Hey, buddy, I thought you were supposed to sleep for another hour at least,” Louis waltzed over to the playpen. Zayn wailed with his hands in the air begging to be cuddled, and Louis submitted easily.

“Alright, come ‘ere,” Louis shook his head with a smile before lifting the boy by his armpits to place him on his hip. Louis lightly bounced him before the boy’s cries leveled out into sniffles.

“How was that nap,” Louis hummed as he rubbed some fingers up and down his back for a few moments.

“You’re showing your tummy off,” Louis chuckled before giving Zayn’s tummy a little tickle before pulling down his shirt. Zayn twisted and turned away from the fingers with a loud shriek.

“Okay, okay,” Louis crouched down to reach the pacifier in the playpen. He gave it a little suck before pressing it into Zayn’s mouth. 

Like always, the pacifier shut Zayn right up.

“What’s wrong? Why did ya wake up crying,” Louis goes back to patting Zayn’s back while he tries to check his diaper, and then when he realizes that he’s in the clear, he heads into the kitchen to try something new.

Louis opens the fridge, and instantly Zayn’s eyes light up. His hands reached out and grasped his lunch with a bright smile. 

Louis caught his pacifier before it hit the floor and Zayn took a greedy suck of his bottle when he realized it was cold, and a cry ripped through.

“You want it warm, yeah,” Louis smirked as he took the bottle from Zayn, and shoved the pacifier past his lips. 

Louis turned on the stove to let the kettle boil.

Zayn and Louis rocked around the kitchen for a few minutes before Eleanor and Niall came through the door.

“Hello,” Eleanor cooed as she placed the reusable grocery bags on the table before stealing Zayn from Louis.

Niall made it clear with quite a few whines that he wanted his dad to hold him, and Louis couldn’t deny his little boy.

“Baby pay,” Niall’s head tilted in question as he reached out to pat Zayn’s arm. 

Zayn had tucked himself into Eleanor’s chest, sighing contently because of her natural motherly warmth. 

“Yeah, do you want to help him with lunch,” Louis hummed as he got a little bowl out of the cupboard and turned off the stove. He placed the bottle into the bowl before pouring some water over the bottle in order to warm it up.

“He’s so cuddly,” Eleanor giggled as Zayn snuffled while snuggling closer to her.

“He woke up wailing, so I think he was really needed more attention,” Louis nodded. 

The parents were rocking around the kitchen with both boys. 

Even though Niall had about an hour and a half until his nap, he was still allowing Louis to tire him out with his gentle sways.

Eleanor motioned to Louis to hand the bottle over, and he maneuvered Niall around to his hip, so he would be able to grab the bottle.

“Fee baby,” Niall smiled as he reached over for his mom.

“Yeah, momma is gonna feed Zayn,” Louis nodded as he followed Eleanor into the living room.

“I fee baby,” Niall whined as he tried to reach out to snag the bottle.

“No no, why don’t you get Zayn’s bib and burp rag,” Louis hummed as he reached over to grab the boppie for Eleanor, so Zayn would be able to lay at a more comfortable angle.

Niall went through the diaper bag, and successfully came across a bib and burp rag. He waddled over to the bunch with his little gifts, and the parents both offered him praise.

“Thank you, Niall. Do you want to put the bib on him,” Louis lifted Niall up onto his lap. Niall nodded proudly and velcroed the bib around his neck.

“You’re such a sweet boy, Ni,” Eleanor cooed as he put the burp rag over her shoulder.

Niall held Zayn’s hand as he ate his lunch. 

Louis didn’t mind watching the game while Eleanor worked on feeding the baby. 

Around a third of the bottle was gone before she forced Zayn to unlatch. He let out an upset cry.

“Oh, I know,” she cooed as she set the boy up on the boppie. She began to gently massage and pat his back for a few minutes before Zayn finally gave her the burp she needed.

“Okay, here you go,” she laid him back down and began to feed him the rest of his lunch.

Right when his lunch was finished, Eleanor felt her lap get warm. She lifted him up for a final burp before wiping his mouth and removing the bib.

“Ni, do you need a change,” Eleanor hums as she lifts Zayn up high enough, so Louis could take the boppie away.

Niall thought for a moment before shaking his head, but Louis knew that was his normal way to get out of changes when he was too enthralled to stop what he was doing.

“Do I need to grab stuff for both of them,” Louis stood from the couch, and he lifted Niall onto his hip.

It was obvious that he was going to need a change from the waddle they ignored earlier.

“Yeah, I’ll give you Zee though,” she decided because they both knew who Niall preferred, and it was much easier to work with him when he wasn’t upset about who was changing him.

She passed Zayn over to Louis, and he set him up on the changing piece that hung over the playpen.

Zayn was very aware that he was going to be changed when his back hit the table.

Zayn squirmed around and let a wail breakthrough.

“Baby,” Niall popped up from where he was placed to lay down for his change. Luckily, he only had his pants off, so nothing got on the floor.

“He’s just having a change, Ni Ni. Go have your diaper changed,” Louis instructed. 

“It’s okay, buddy,” Louis cooed as he wriggled Zayn’s pants down his legs. Zayn wailed because of the cold.

“Oh, I know. I’m so sorry,” Louis allowed baby talk to fall from his lips. Niall had started to cry because he wasn’t allowed to go comfort Zayn, but Eleanor was managing to entice him with silly songs here and there.

Louis pushed Zayn’s top up his tummy before tearing the tabs off the sides of the diaper.

“Oh my,” Louis’ nose wrinkled when he got a whiff of what was actually in Zayn’s diaper.

“I feel ya, buddy. A poopy diaper isn’t nice at all is it,” Louis kept his face close to Zayn while he changed him in order to offer some comfort.

“We’re almost done, just a few more wipes,” Niall had joined Louis’s side because he wanted to calm the baby down.

“Is K baby,” Niall baby talked as he pats Zayn’s tummy.

“You’re being such a sweet boy, baby,” Eleanor praised as she cleaned up from his change. Niall was allowed to go without his pants while he overlooked Zayn’s change.

Louis finally got the baby in a clean diaper before handing the dirty one over to Eleanor to throw away upstairs in the Diaper Genie.

He didn’t bother putting pants back on Zayn either, and instead, he lifted the boy up to his chest to get some cuddles in order to calm him down.

It took a few seconds of swaying before Zayn finally hushed. He was getting a little milk drunk, and his head was starting tuck right into his neck.

“Let’s go get your lunch Ni,” Louis reached his hand out, and Niall hooked onto it easily.

“Baby pay,” Niall whined as Louis started to take off Niall’s high chair tray.

“El, can you grab a blanket for Zayn,” he shouted as he started to put Niall into his high chair. 

Zayn was whining as Louis shifted him around, so he could get Niall buckled into his seat.

“The baby is getting ready to sleep. Do you want to take your nap with Zayn,” Louis hummed as he snapped the tray table onto the high chair, and gave it a tug to make sure it was secured.

“No nap,” Niall pouted as his mom entered the kitchen.

“I think a nap will do you well, bubba. Did you tell dad about your meltdown in the car?”

“Meltdown,” Louis’s brow lifted as he sat down at the kitchen table with Zayn. He wrapped the blanket Eleanor brought him, around Zayn.

“He wanted a snack, and I didn’t have time to get it, so he had a little fit,” she shrugged.

“Huh, a hangry little boy,” Louis smirked as he helped Zayn shift up to cuddle higher on his chest.

Eleanor got her little one some fruits and a salami sandwich along with a sippy cup of water. 

As Niall realized his naptime was coming closer, he was beginning to cry while eating.

“Zayn is going to lie down with you, Ni,” Louis subsided as he watched the boy run his knuckles over his eyes to attempt to dry his tears.

The group didn’t talk for the rest of lunch, and it ended up going better for them than expected. 

Niall was yawning by the time lunch was over, and Zayn was already asleep. 

Eleanor cleaned Niall’s face gently from the fruit juices before she lifted him up from the chair, and brought him into the living room. 

She took the changing table off of the top part, then she laid him down in the playpen. Niall wriggled and whined for a few moments before Zayn was laid down next to him. 

Niall and Zayn snuggled close to each other, and the parents covered the two of them with a blanket.

Eleanor made sure that Zayn’s lamb and the pacifier were close to him before they crept back into the kitchen.

Quietly they cleaned up the kitchen together before finding themselves back upstairs in Niall’s nursery.  
=========================================================================

“What color is that truck,” Eleanor hums. She has Zayn sat on her lap, and Niall was pushing the truck around in attempts to entertain Zayn.

He was giggling as Niall drove little cars over his legs, and up Louis’s chest.

“Hey, what are you doing,” Louis laughed before he gave Niall little tickles to his tummy and ribs.

“No,” Niall squirmed as he twisted away from his dad with a giggle.

Zayn started laughing louder because of how happy Niall appeared.

“Is that funny, is Uncle Lou and Ni, funny,” Eleanor smiles as she pecks continuous kisses against Zayn’s cheeks, and he wriggled against her with loud hiccups of joy breaking through his throat.

Zayn squirmed his way out of Eleanor’s lap to follow Niall around. He managed to push himself up onto a pair of wobbly legs to follow Niall as he headed towards the kitchen.

“Where are you messers headed,” Louis challenged. They squealed in laughter before Niall took hold of Zayn’s hand and started to help him walk into the kitchen.

“Oh no you don’t,” Eleanor laughed before she and Louis stood up and followed to boys to the kitchen.

Right before their feet got into the kitchen the parents grabbed each of them around the waist and lifted them up from the floor.

They giggled loudly before they were released to roam once again.

This little game of cat and mouse went on for twenty or so minutes before someone needed a change and another one was hungry.

It may have been the strangest feeling to have more than one kid, but Eleanor and Louis would be lying if they said they didn’t enjoy it.

It was when night had come through that things were less fun. 

 

Because at midnight Zayn awoke them with his loud wails, and it seemed as nothing was wrong.

They took turns tending to him with diaper changes, bottle feedings, burpings, rockings, coddlings, Zayn wanted so much attention, and in complete honesty, they hadn’t been that exhausted since Niall first came into their lives.

After the last hundred wake up calls, Niall was becoming very aware, and he joined the family at four in the morning.

So there the two parents were laying in bed with two babes both nursing bottles while Eleanor held Niall’s bottle up, and Louis held up Zayn’s bottle.

Louis had to admit that the deep look of complete admiration that Zayn offered as he was being fed, he was feeling as if he was one of the luckiest people in the world.

Because he realized that the only way Zayn could really communicate was through his eyes, and it was such a good feeling to get a silent appreciation from such a young kid.

Zayn fastened his hands around Louis’s shirt to bring them closer together.

Louis let Eleanor and Niall sleep while he burped Zayn, and then he joined them back in bed to hopefully polish off this never-ending night. 

Zayn tucked his leg under his tummy, and Louis got him to sleep in just enough time so he would get a few more hours of sleep before Liam and Harry arrived to pick up their baby.

This was one of his longest, and most enjoyable nights he’s ever had in his life.

But thank the heavens he only has one baby for the time being because he is not going to be able to try to raise a one-year-old for many more years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you guys I was feeling inspired lately! Thank you to the one who suggested this because it was very fun to write. I have another prompt lined up for next chapter already, but please leave more suggestions so I can incorporate it into the next chapter, or some that are soon to come! Please leave more comments because I love hearing your feedback, and I'll be sure to respond to all of you!   
>  Lot's of Love,  
>  Sassylewis Xx

**Author's Note:**

> I’m always starting new books, and getting caught up, but I feel as if this book needed to be seen. I really wanted to do some defiance and teen parents of sorts, and age play seems to be a favorite of anyone. I really hope you all enjoy, and stay around for more.
> 
> Lots of Love,  
> Sassylewis Xx


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